Arteta: 'Aubameyang’s poor form was not related to his new contract'

However, there were suggestions that his motivation might have dipped since he was handed his new contract just a few days after Arsenal’s season opener against Fulham.

When asked about this possibility, Arteta said: “It is easy to connect things like that, but I am not suspicious of that.

“I have seen, and we have had many conversations, about what he wanted to do from last year’s point of view to his near future in the next two years, and he was very ambitious with that.

“To maintain that level is really complicated but he is trying his best, he is trying hard. That is what he is aiming to do.”

The striker has scored nine goals in his last 14 games as he helped his side to turn around their poor start to the season.

“We talked for months about the ratio of goals we need him to score to give us the best possible chance of being at the top,” the Spanish manager said.

“It has not been what it has been in recent years and it’s a factor that is contributed to by a lot of things that the team has to do on the pitch. It is not just his thing.

“But obviously we need Auba in a different form in the next games to give us our best chance to finish where we want to finish the season, that’s clear.

On the debates concerning Aubameyang’s ideal position, Arteta continued: “He can play off the left, off the right, in the middle.

“When you look at his stats in the past, there is not a big difference.

“It depends how we play and how much we provide him, and how efficient he is when he has these chances and these movements.

“When he’s got this form of confidence when he is unstoppable. It is dependent on many factors.”

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