Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s contact situation at Arsenal is set to rumble on.
Reports in the Telegraph on Wednesday declared that a new £250,000-a-week offer, plus bonuses, will be put to the Arsenal captain by the club’s hierarchy next week.
Aubameyang, 31, has less than one year left on his current deal in North London.
He has again shone during a difficult season for the club, and struck both goals in the 2-0 FA Cup semi-final win over Manchester City.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is desperate to keep his main marksman as he looks to rebuild and turn the team into top four and, ultimately, title contenders once again.
Publicly and privately he has made clear his desire to continue working with Aubameyang, who has adapted swiftly to his new manager’s desires.
And Aubameyang has intimated in interviews how much he is enjoying working with the Spaniard.
But the former Borussia Dortmund forward is also aware that he is now in the autumn of his career and wants to be competing for titles and against Europe’s elite.
Arsenal’s loss to Aston Villa on Tuesday night ensured that they cannot claim a Europa League spot through their league position heading into the season’s final day, with the North London club now unable to finish above eighth.
There will only be European football at the Emirates next season if they can beat London rivals Chelsea in the FA Cup Final on August 1.
And that, and showing that Arsenal can compete for honours as early as next season, will be critical to Arsenal’s hopes of persuading the Gabonese forward to remain at the club long-term.
If he elects not to re-sign, then the issue becomes whether they keep him for another year and potentially lose him on a free, or look to move him out immediately.
Ironically, Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is a big fan of Aubameyang and could have looked to take him this summer - had the Blues not already decided to splash out on Timo Werner.
Barcelona continue to be linked too, but have financial issues, while Inter Milan have also been mentioned.
But as it stands, amid the financial fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, there don’t appear to be too many landing spots among Europe’s biggest clubs.