Mikel Arteta is facing a huge battle to try to convince Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to stay at Arsenal past the end of this season with doubts growing over his long-term future.

Aubameyang has promised to give everything for new head coach Arteta while he is at the club, as he proved with a goal and a committed performance in the defeat to Chelsea.

The 30-year-old’s effort was all the more pleasing for Arteta, as the Arsenal head coach is aware that the Gabon international would rather play through the middle than out on the left-hand side.

Having been handed the captaincy, Aubameyang is willing to put the team over himself in the immediate future, but his long-term prospects are far less certain.

He has 18 months remaining on his contract and is desperate to play Champions League football again. That is looking increasingly unlikely to happen at Arsenal next season, even though the club still believe they have time to qualify.

The defeat to Chelsea left Arsenal down in 12th place in the Premier League table, 11 points behind their fourth-placed rivals. Arteta’s team entertain fifth-placed Manchester United next and failure to win would further dent any slim hope of making ground on their rivals.