Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta is "pretty positive" of signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to a new deal but admits the club must persuade the striker of his importance and their own ambition.
Aubameyang's deal expires next summer and he was quoted this week saying he felt at "a turning point" in his career.
The Gabon international has no shortage of admirers should he decide his future lies elsewhere but Arteta thinks a deal can be reached.
"We have many discussions with Pierre, with his family and his agent. I'm pretty positive we can find the right agreement for all parties," said Arteta.
"I think it is our responsibility to make him feel this is the right next step in his career. In order to do that he needs to feel valued, he needs to feel he belongs to us and that we want him.
"He really needs to believe we can take this club forward in the way we want to and he's going to be a key part."
Aubameyang has scored 61 goals in 97 appearances since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2018 but has yet to lift any major silverware in England.
"I haven't had an offer recently, but I did speak to the club quite a few months ago, and they know why nothing has happened yet," Aubameyang, who turns 31 on Thursday, told French football programme Telefoot.
"They have the keys. It is up to them to do their work and, after that, we will see how things go. It's a turning point in my career and I want to be honest with everyone. It'll certainly be a very difficult decision to make."
Arsenal, who travel to second-placed Manchester City when the Premier League restarts on Wednesday, were ninth in the table when football was suspended three months ago due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
