Former Arsenal star Ian Wright believes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's contract renewal would be "the most significant signing" Mikel Arteta can make this summer.
Arsenal and Aubameyang are locked in talks over a new deal, with the Gabon international already in the final 12 months of his contract in North London.
Wright, who is Arsenal's second all-time top scorer behind Thierry Henry, highlighted the importance of the goals scored by Aubameyang after the Gunners finished the 2019-20 season with the FA Cup title.
On Saturday, the 31-year-old kicked off the new campaign with a bang by steering Arteta’s side to a Community Shield triumph against Liverpool.
“To be honest, I think he will be the most significant signing Mikel can make,” Wright was quoted as saying by the Independent.
“We do need to make that happen, simply because of what he brings to that team. When you look at the chances created for Arsenal, they were 16th in the league and he still scored the amount of goals he scored.
“So if you can imagine, we can start creating more with the players we have signed – the Willians and people like that – then he is going to score more goals. It is imperative that he signs.”
Wright also reserved praise for the progress made by Arteta since he took over at the helm in December.
“When you look at our manager he is a very focused, driven guy and knows exactly what Arsenal are about,” he added.
“When you look at the transformation and culture change under Mikel Arteta, you have to say we are on the right track and that is the only thing you want to worry about right now.
“It is still a long way to go with what other teams are doing at the moment – you look what Chelsea are doing, Man City are doing and what Liverpool are going to do, what Man United are going to do.
“We have to just worry, as Arsenal, what we are doing and the slow progress we are making at the moment.”
Arsenal will begin their 2020-21 Premier League season with a game against newly-promoted Fulham at Craven Cottage on September 12.