LONDON (Reuters) - Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta conceded on Friday that he was initially worried that the club would lose captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the transfer window and the striker’s decision to extend his stay was a welcome boost. The 31-year-old Aubameyang signed a new three-year deal with the London club this week, a month after Arteta said he wanted to build his squad around the club captain following their FA Cup triumph and Europa League qualification. “To be fair at the start, when I joined (in December), I wasn’t as positive as I was in the last few weeks,” Arteta told reporters ahead of Saturday’s Premier League game at home to West Ham United. I think Auba had his doubts as well at the time but things evolved in a natural way. “It was a big boost because everyone was hoping for Auba to stay but it was creating some uncertainty around the place.

Source: Egypt Today September 19, 2020 14:48 UTC