The Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should move to a more ambitious club if he wants to win trophies, according to the Gabon football association president, Pierre Alain Mounguengui.

Aubameyang joined Arsenal in January 2018 for around £56m and has since scored 61 goals in all competitions. He was the league’s top scorer last season with 22 goals and has 17 league goals in the current campaign. The 30-year-old’s contract expires at the end of next season.

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“I don’t want to say Arsenal aren’t ambitious but Arsenal don’t have ambitions as high as some other clubs as far as Europe is concerned,” Mounguengui told ESPN. “So if Pierre could secure a contract with a more ambitious club he’d definitely find his place there.

“On an individual level we all consider him to be among the best players in the world but the advice I give to him is to continue to work and to attract the attention of the biggest clubs and the most ambitious clubs.”

Arsenal were ninth in the Premier League before the coronavirus pandemic suspended the football season. The club have not qualified for the Champions League since 2015-16 and have lost two finals since Aubameyang’s arrival – the League Cup in 2018 and the Europa League last season.

“Aubameyang is a world-class player but for him, or anyone else in Europe who hasn’t won a major honour, football is a collective sport,” Mounguengui said. “Right now he’s at Arsenal and he’s won nothing here. So it’s a collective failing.”