Mesut Ozil's sense of belonging at Arsenal has gone from being an erstwhile midfield genius to now an exiled figure seeking a new scenery. The 2014 World Cup winner is currently in talks with Fenerbahce and DC United to end his eight-year stay in England.

Ozil is inarguably one of his generation’s most extraordinary talents, showcasing glimpses of a prodigious left-footed playmaker at Bundesliga clubs Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen in his early beginnings.

Mesut Ozil’s second season at Bremen served as the first checkpoint of greatness in the Gelsenkirchen-born playmaker’s career. He chalked up 14 assists, led Die Werderaner to the 2009 UEFA Cup and DFB Pokal finals while scoring the latter fixture’s winning goal.

The more significant call in Ozil's early career came in 2010 when Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid brought him on board in a £16.6m deal and a six-year contract. Upon noticing his performances in Germany's run to the final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the Portuguese manager ironed out that the then-21-year-old was someone who 'fit his system perfectly.'

The 'Real' breakthrough

Mesut Ozil's three-season spell at Real Madrid was a stepping stone to success, as he registered a splendid 54 assists in 105 career appearances for Los Blancos.

Ozil finished in the top two in La Liga for assists in each of his three Real Madrid seasons, with 19 assists in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 campaigns before bagging 16 in the 2012-13 season.

However, Carlo Ancelotti's arrival in the hot seat spelled an end to his Galactico career, and Ozil, with three titles in his time in Madrid, sent shockwaves to the sporting world with a record £42.4m move to Arsenal on deadline day of the 2013 transfer window.

Ozil's bumpy ride with Arsenal and Germany

Mesut Ozil's arrival at Arsenal drove football fans' excitement to the brim in the Premier League and set an illusionary benchmark for the German playmaker to skyrocket to fame.

The Gunners finished fourth in Ozil's debut campaign, with the German tallying five goals and 10 assists. The year 2014 is unique from his international career point of view. His two assists propelled Germany to a landmark 7-1 win over Brazil in the 2014 FIFA World Cup semi-finals and then lifting football's holy grail at the Maracana.

However, the former Real Madrid playmaker's impact was relatively flat in the 2014-15 season as he couldn't transfigure his form from the World Cup-winning campaign.

100 �?Since his move to Real Madrid for the beginning of the 2010-11 season, @MesutOzil1088 is one of only five players within Europe’s top five leagues to record at least 100 league assists (47 for Real Madrid, 54 for @Arsenal). Longing. pic.twitter.com/kSdmCUPXgD

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 15, 2020

The 2015-16 campaign is, by far, Mesut Ozil’s best-ever in the Premier League. The playmaker registered 19 assists, including a record streak of assists in seven consecutive matches. Ozil finished with the most assists in the 2015-16 season and became the first footballer to register most assists in a single campaign in England, Spain (2011-12), and Germany (2009-10).

Since notching ten league assists in the 2016-17 Premier League campaign, Ozil’s output levels saw a drop, and thus, the tale of his eventual downfall from grace began.

10 - Mesut Ozil is the first player to assist 10+ goals in his first 11 appearances of a PL season. Form. @MesutOzilStats

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 8, 2015

2018 - Where all troubles began 

Mesut Ozil hit a new low in 2018, as Arsene Wenger’s departure significantly impacted his performance under new head coach Unai Emery. The club awarded him a three-year contract to tie him down until the summer of 2021, and this news didn’t sit well with the club faithful mainly down to the fact that his wages rose significantly to £350,000. The German, till date, remains the highest earner at Arsenal despite not being registered in the club’s Premier League squad for the 2020-21 season.

Ozil’s last international assignment was the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where he received racist jibes not only for the controversial meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan but also for his performances, which led to Germany’s pre-mature exit.

Shortly after, the Arsenal playmaker announced his retirement from the international circuit and accused then DFB President Reinhard Grindel of racism, stating that, “In the eyes of Grindel and his supporters, I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose.�?/span>

What led to Mesut Ozil’s downfall?

Mesut Ozil, now in his thirties, is a far cry from the demeanour he portrayed between 2009 and 2017. A change in management and the rise of new talents have left little room for the 32-year-old to feature in the playing XI.

The biggest shocker came when Arsenal decided to drop Ozil from their Premier League squad, and the former Germany superstar took to social media to express his disappointment.

〽️⚽️ #M1Ö #YaGunnersYa pic.twitter.com/hF7abGklOT

�?Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) October 21, 2020

Coming to Arsenal after being an understudy to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, Mikel Arteta’s philosophy is a drastic contrast from that of Wenger. And his demand for relentless pressing in the opponents�?half, which has been a quintessential aspect of modern football, is understandable.

Ozil is no more an elite footballer like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who would continue to get selected based solely on their uniqueness and not work-rate. Arsenal’s necessity to get results without much financial backing is also a big reason for Arsenal’s style of football.

Arsenal no longer have the likes of Santi Cazorla and Tomas Rosicky. Their understanding of spaces, off the ball work-rate, and silky footwork in the midfield allowed Ozil to wander in the final third with the sole job of creating chances.

Arteta’s Arsenal put equal stress on every player back-tracking once they lose the ball - something an ageing Ozil cannot execute day in and day out. Then there are non-footballing reasons as well.

Amid reports that it was due to pay cut issues that Mesut Ozil was dropped from Arsenal’s Premier League roster in August, current head coach Mikel Arteta asserted that Ozil’s omission is solely down to ‘footballing reasons.�?/span>

While Ozil is approaching the end of his journey in English football, one can merely fathom how a player, who has tallied 132 assists in 390 league games, has fallen from grace at a speed that is highly uncounted. The German has not stepped onto the football pitch in 308 days and is one of the last few natural No.10s to still be active in the game.

Most league assists in Europe's top five divisions since 2006-07:

�?Lionel Messi
�?Cesc Fàbregas
�?Mesut Özil

Pure silk. pic.twitter.com/B6SAqPflZl

�?Squawka Football (@Squawka) October 15, 2020

Premier League and Arsenal will both lose a once-in-a-lifetime genius when Ozil leaves North London, for as Arsene Wenger had once rightly said, �?.. If you love to watch football, you love to watch Ozil.�?/span>

The January transfer window is starting to keep up the pace as we enter the second week of its operation. Europe’s best are eager to bolster their strengths, given the return of cup competitions, and we dig into the latest happenings in the English Premier League.

Timothy Fosu-Mensah to join Bayern Leverkusen

Manchester United’s Timothy Fosu-Mensah is currently in advanced talks to join Bundesliga side Bayern Leverkusen in a £1.5million deal. The Netherlands player, out of contract at the end of the season, has made only three starts for United in nearly four years and has rejected an offer of a three-year deal to find more first-team opportunities elsewhere. Fosu-Mensah wished to return to AFC Ajax, but that looks unlikely.

Bayer Leverkusen are in advanced talks to sign Timothy Fosu-Mensah from Man Utd, as per @samuelluckhurst. There are ‘positive feelings�?to complete the deal soon, personal terms have been agreed - there are still some details to be sorted between the two clubs. #mufc

�?Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 11, 2021

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recently confirmed that two-three players would be leaving the club. When asked about the 23-year-old, he stated, “It’s difficult when you have good players, talented players, and you can’t give them game-time. He’s now at the stage where he needs to go and play again. It might be the end of January, or in the summer where he finds somewhere else, he’s working hard, so he’s ready for a move for any club he feels ready for."

The other players Solskjaer has hinted out are Argentine duo Sergio Romero and Marcos Rojo. Both players are out of contracts and are looking for a club to buy them. Odion Ighalo, on loan from Shanghai Greenland Shenhua, is expected to leave Old Trafford at the end of January.

Eddie Nketiah not leaving Arsenal this month 

Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, confirmed in a press conference that Eddie Nketiah will not leave the club in January. The youngster was linked with a move to West Ham, who are on the hunt for a replacement as Sebastien Haller left the Hammers for Ajax. The 21-year-old, and French forward Alexandre Lacazette, are in the last months of their contracts and are awaiting fresh terms.

Meanwhile, Fenerbahce are still pushing for a Mesut Ozil deal. When asked about the player’s future, Arteta said he is still waiting for the right solution. “There’s no update. We still have to try to find the right solution for the player and the club.�?he quoted.

In other news, Rob Holding is set to sign a new contract with Arsenal. Matteo Guendouzi, on loan at Hertha Berlin, seems unlikely to make the deal permanent and could return to north London this month. On the flip side, Genoa has confirmed their intent to sign Greek defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos.

Stuttgart winger Nicolas Gonzalez entrancing Tottenham

The Athletic has reported a deal for VfB Stuttgart’s Nicolas Gonzalez to Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur. The Argentinian forward has also caught Juventus and Leeds United’s attention, but Gonzalez is seemingly on course to sign up for Jose Mourinho’s Lilywhites.

 

The 22-year-old has recently signed an extension to his contract that keeps him at the club until 2024, but Stuttgart seeks around �?7 million for him to depart. The winger has been in fine form, scoring for both club and country in the past few games, and is likely to see his market value skyrocket if he continues to perform in this manner.

Nuno Mendes continues to be linked with Liverpool 

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp suggested earlier that the Premier League champions would have a relatively quiet transfer window, despite their ongoing defensive dilemma.

On the rumored £60m bid for RB Leipzig center-back Dayot Upamecano, Klopp asserted that the club couldn’t pay such an amount for a player in the winter transfer window.

Reports strongly suggest that the Reds have submitted a higher bid for Nuno Mendes after Sporting CP have rejected an initial �?/span>25 million offer for the 18-year-old. Georginio Wijnaldum’s future hangs in the balance after he rejected an offer by Liverpool. The club faithful is eager to see a positive development in the contract talks with the Dutch international.

Feature Image courtesy: AFP / ANDREAS GEBERT

At exactly this time last year, Arsenal had conceded eight goals while keeping a solitary clean sheet in their opening five games of the 2019/20 Premier League season, as they continued to pick up the threads during a rather disenchanted tenure under Unai Emery.

The squad lacked the chemistry, there was no creative spark left, while players wandered around the field like headless chickens. That, coupled with the fans voicing their protest against the Spaniard, reinforced the Arsenal hierarchy to finally take the gamble. 

• Highs and lows of Mikel Arteta's first season at Arsenal

Emery was already on the edge and his sacking was evident as early as November 2019, but there was no concrete plan in place to progress. The likes of Mauricio Pochettino, ex-Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri and former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe were all linked, but Freddie Ljungberg was roped in as a caretaker. However, after a solitary win in six games, Mikel Arteta arrived from Manchester City to continue the growing trend of former players taking the charge of the club.

Establishing ingenuity

Arsenal were often criticised for playing a slow and monotonous brand of football. All that changed under Arteta. He did fail to gather points in his first two assignments, having played a draw against Bournemouth and a defeat against Chelsea, but that dominant 2-0 win over Manchester United was not only their first win in the league against a team in the top half (in January), but it was also a sign of what was to come.

Kieran Tierney on his relationship with Mikel Arteta [@AFCPW via BT].

pic.twitter.com/MK1ROWpjDJ

�?TheAFCnewsroom (@TheAFCnewsroom) September 12, 2020

Working with the same set of players, Arsenal, under the new management, went on an eight-game unbeaten run in the league (W4, D4) between January and March. And after football resumed in June, he went on to lose just four of his final 10 games (W5, D1, L4). Before fabricating any sort of conclusion, bear in mind that this squad was made on the blueprint of someone else’s model, and Arteta hardly tinkered the structure. 

• Arsenal: A project too spine-chilling for Mikel Arteta

Since the turn of the year, players have not only looked focused, but the desire to win the game for their manager is widely evident, and that - for as much as we overlook - remains an integral part of the game.

Swift movement

A little bit of a Guardiola-like approach was rightly expected from Arteta. Having worked under the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager since 2015, the Spaniard did excite the faithful with his style, but his approach was rather different than his educator. 

He formerly went with a 4-2-3-1 approach, with Mesut Ozil, once frozen out by Emery, being his pivot. The German, in fact, scored his first goal in 10 months when the Gunners played host to Newcastle in February. That goal, much like a Guardiola team, had 35 passes in the build-up, with all 11 players involved in it at least once. 

This is how we do.

⚡️ @Aubameyang7 wasting no time - one game, one goal pic.twitter.com/CCZF4FMuRh

�?Arsenal (@Arsenal) September 14, 2020

However, following that 2-1 defeat against Brighton in June, in what was Arsenal’s second game after the lockdown, Arteta went with a combination of back three against Southampton. The decision worked wonders as the team went on to inflict significant damage on their opponents. The results have only bettered since.

For a team that had not won a game against a top-half team since January, a series of wins over the top-four hopefuls Wolves and Sheffield, followed by becoming only the third team to beat Liverpool in the 2019/20 season, represents a remarkable success. Arteta then went on to beat his master, Pep Guardiola, in the semi-finals of the FA Cup before clinching the title in his half-season at the club.

Progress in every department

While his use of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been radiant, the development of the likes of Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah has been acute, to say the least. Saka, an extremely versatile commodity, had 11 assists to his name last season. Deployed on the left side - sometimes as a left-back / wing-back or as a left-sided attacker, the 19-year-old’s clever movement both on and off that ball has been dazzling, to say the least.

Arsenal have long yearned for someone who could assert his authority and not bow down to the players�?extravagant demands, which unfortunately is the trend. They are well and truly on the path of progression and the fact that their stalwart Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has signed a new deal after almost denying to pen one is a further testament to Arteta’s ascendancy. The reward? It’s a change in job title from being the head coach to the club's 'first-team manager'.

Gabriel Magalhães' Arsenal debut by numbers:

121 touches (most)
113 passes (most)
95% pass accuracy
5 ball recoveries
3 clearances
2 tackles made
2 fouls won
1 goal scored
0 goals conceded
0 x dribbled past

And he was named Man of the Match. pic.twitter.com/8chEE401rA

�?Squawka Football (@Squawka) September 12, 2020

Even the signings the Spaniard made ahead of the 2020/21 season have made an instant impact. Defender Gabriel Magalhaes, brought from Lille to bring much-needed stability at the back, scored on his Premier League debut against Fulham, and had more touches and completed more passes than any other player in the Premier League that day. Willian, a free transfer from Chelsea, played his role in all three of Arsenal’s goals and ended up notching two assists.

Arteta’s impact, in a limited resource, has been astonishing, and judging by the look of things, the only way from here is up.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Paul Childs

2019-20 finish: 8th (14W-14D-10L, 56 points)

Head coach: Mikel Arteta

2019-20 Premier League top scorer: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (22 PL goals)

Other trophies: FA Cup, FA Community Shield

The 2019-20 Premier League season was the worst for Arsenal if their performances in the last 25 years of Premier League are considered. The Gunners finished eighth last season and that was their lowest finish since ending up as the 12th-placed team in the 1994-95 season. They were on a horrible run of form during the initial part of the season and that's why manager Unai Emery was sacked as well.

However, there was some improvement seen once Mikel Arteta took over as the Arsenal manager and they recorded impressive wins over Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool late in the season as well. Their FA Cup and FA Community Shield victories only served as an affirmation of that improvement and thus it can be said that there are only better things in store for them as far as the forthcoming season is considered.

Issues Arsenal faced last season

Arsenal had two major problems last season. One was the vulnerability of their defence and the other was their overdependence on Aubameyang for scoring.

The Gunners had conceded 48 goals in the 2019-20 season which was the third-worst among the sides who finished inside the top 10. Only Chelsea (54) and Sheffield United (50) had conceded more goals than Arsenal. The defenders were slow at times or made pretty silly mistakes which saw them conceding at crucial moments in the games.

Their overdependence on Aubameyang cost them a lot as well. Alexandre Lacazette was completely out of form, Mesut Ozil was well past his prime and Nicholas Pepe was misfiring big time as well. Apart from Aubameyang, they had no reliable options who could score consistently. Moreover, they had no driving force in the midfield as well, which increased their woes even more.

Have the Gunners addressed their gremlins?

Arteta has been seen making efforts to strengthen their defence this summer. He acquired the services of Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes for a reported fee of $33 million from Lille. 19-year-old defender William Saliba, who was acquired last season for a reported fee of $34 million from Saint-Etienne and then sent back on loan again, is back after completing his loan spell too. Moreover, the loan deals of Cedric Soares and Pablo Mari have been made permanent as well.

To improve their attacking play, Arteta has brought Brazilian winger Willian from Chelsea on free transfers. Willian specialises in set-pieces and can play as a creative force in the midfield too. During his stint of seven years with Chelsea, Willian won five major trophies. Moreover, he is coming to the Emirates Stadium on the back of an excellent outing in the 2019-20 Premier League season as well.

The 32-year-old scored nine goals and assisted seven times in the last Premier League season. His experience will be quite valuable for Arsenal as young players like Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah, who impressed with their performances towards the end of the last season, can learn a lot from him.

Prediction for 2020/21 season

With major issues fixed and more experience added to the squad, Arsenal look primed for a top six finish. And if they can keep up their consistency for longer lengths throughout the season, they can even finish as one of the top four teams. One major challenge for Arteta, though, will be to keep Aubameyang with the club. He is a hot prospect in the transfer market and it remains to be seen how the management handles his situation.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Justin Tallis

After sacking coach Unai Emery just 15 months since his arrival in North London, Arsenal looked for a coach that understood the values of the club and could lead them into the future while retaining the club’s identity on the field.

Following much deliberation, Arsenal appointed former captain and Manchester City’s assistant coach Mikel Arteta as head coach of the club. The Spaniard had been under the tutelage of one of the finest minds in football, Pep Guardiola, for three and half years and sprung on the opportunity to be the main man at the club he skippered to an FA Cup win.

• Highs and lows of Solskjaer's first full season at Manchester United

It has already been nine months since his appointment and while it has mostly been positive, there were some down moment, albeit not too many, through the season. That said, we look at the highs and lows of Arteta’s first season in-charge:

The highs 

Winning the FA Cup in his maiden campaign as head coach was an incredible achievement for Arteta. But it wasn’t just the trophy win that was impressive, but the manner too was noteworthy. En route to their record-extending 14th FA Cup, Arsenal faced Sheffield United, Manchester City and Chelsea, and on paper were second-favourites in all three matches. 

However, Arteta and his men played brilliantly and were rewarded with a trophy at the end of what was a tumultuous season. 

Since Arteta took over, only five teams managed to pick more points than the Gunners. Southampton and Chelsea, who were 5th and 4th on the league table since Arteta took over, had just one more point than Arsenal in that time period. It is certainly a sign of progress for Arsenal who were languishing in 8th spot, eight points off fourth-placed Chelsea.

Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang’s brilliant form, Nicholas Pepe’s growth in the Premier League and the emergence of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have all been positives that can be attributed to the Spanish coach. Aubameyang is also reportedly close to signing a new deal at the club and that would by far be Arteta’s biggest achievement after his FA Cup win since taking over at Arsenal.

The lows  

Perhaps nothing hurt Arsenal more than their exit at the hands of Olympiakos in the Europa League in their round-of-32 tie. 

• The highs and lows of Jose Mourinho

The Gunners were heavy favourites to go through after winning 1-0 in Greece, however, a 1-2 defeat at home saw them booted out of the competition and ending their hopes of a spot in next season’s Champions League. 

Their defeat at the hands of Brighton was perhaps the toughest pill to swallow for Arsenal. Leading 1-0 for large parts of the game, Arsenal conceded two late goals and lost the game 2-1. What hurt more was the loss of standout keeper Bernd Leno, who collided with Brighton forward Neal Maupay and injured his knee.  

Defeat to Aston Villa in the penultimate game week confirmed Arsenal’s eight-placed finish, their lowest in 25 years. 

Despite these few lows, it has been a starkly positive first campaign for Mikel Arteta at Arsenal. The club has made progress under the Spaniard and that’s all they can hope for at this point.

The 2019-20 football season was unlike any other, with the pandemic putting a halt to action from late March till June. When football eventually did resume, action commenced in front of empty stadiums as seasons ended almost a year after they had begun. While there were no shortages of surprises off the pitch, a few managers also made their mark on the season in an unexpected manner.

Here, we have a look at those first-team head coaches who unexpectedly caught the attention of the football world and forced everyone to sit up and take notice.

Hansi Flick

The former Bayern Munich midfielder, Hansi Flick was brought into the Bavarian setup as their assistant manager at the start of the season. However, Niko Kovac’s dismissal a few months into the campaign meant that Flick was handed the role of interim manager and after taking full charge of the German giants, the galvanising effect that he had on the squad was almost instantaneous.

He made Bayern look like their former selves, having failed to produce their best under Kovac’s tutelage. They went on to return to the top of the league and win their eighth successive Bundesliga title under Flick.

Currently, in the Champions League semi-finals, he will be looking to win the holy grail of European club football seven years after Bayern’s last continental triumph. During those seven years, even the much-celebrated Pep Guardiola failed to steer the German giants to the Champions League but Flick, who was confirmed as Bayern’s permanent manager in April, looks to be on course for European glory with his team.

Julian Nagelsmann

Another young German manager who is vying for European glory, Julian Nagelsmann may be just 33 years of age, but he already has a CV to make even the most experienced managers in the game envious. With a clash in the semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain to look ahead to, Nagelsmann’s RB Leipzig can still have more surprises in store for us if they get the better of the Parisians.

Having said that, it’s worth noting that reaching the semis with Leipzig in his first season with the club is already an achievement that Nagelsmann can be proud of. The former 1899 Hoffenheim manager has only further enhanced his reputation in Europe and what won’t be a surprise is that European heavyweights will all be circling for his signature if he can pull off an unlikely Champions League triumph with Leipzig.   

Rudi Garcia

Rudi Garcia may have had to endure a difficult campaign with French club Lyon in the Ligue 1, but his side’s performances in the Champions League have left many football pundits scratching their heads. The Frenchman’s team could only manage a seventh-place finish in Ligue 1 but find themselves in a semi-final clash against the mighty Bavarians.

Garcia and Lyon, of course, were never expected to make it this far in the competition but after narrowly qualifying for the knockout stage, they have gone on to beat the likes of Juventus and Manchester City to make it to the semis. While another shock win against Bayern this time around looks improbable, the same could have been said about their matches against Juventus and Manchester City.

Mikel Arteta

Mikel Arteta has had a mixed first season at Arsenal after taking over the reins halfway into the campaign following the sacking of Unai Emery. During his time as manager, the Spanish head coach demonstrated what an astute tactician he can be with big statement wins over Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea.

While there are areas of improvement for next season, particularly against clubs from the lower half of the table, Arteta can be proud of what he achieved with the Gunners in his debut campaign as manager. An FA Cup trophy was perhaps a fitting reward for the effect that he’s had on the north London club and it’s also worth remembering that Arsenal had to get the better of Manchester City and Chelsea to win the domestic cup as well as a secure a spot in Europe for next season.

Julen Lopetegui

After enduring dismal spells during his sacking as Spain’s head coach and Real Madrid’s manager, the 2019-20 season saw Julen Lopetegui repair his reputation and rebuild his career. Now the manager of Sevilla, who he guided to a fourth-place finish in La Liga in his first season at the club, Lopetegui has already proven many doubters in Spain wrong.

Instead of enduring another tough campaign as many pundits expected him to, Lopetegui has ensured his team are in next season’s Champions League as well as in the final of the ongoing campaign’s Europa League. Even though Sevilla have a rich history in the competition, not many were expecting Lopetegui’s Sevilla to beat Manchester United in the semi-final. However, they did get the better of the Red Devils in the semis and it’ll be another surprise if Sevilla can beat Inter Milan in the final.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Manu Fernandez / Ronny Hartman / Franck Fife / Catherine Ivill / Martin Meissner

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will commit his long-term future to the Gunners after scoring twice to beat Chelsea 2-1 in the FA Cup final on Saturday.

Aubameyang dropped the trophy in his first mistake of the day before lifting Arsenal's record 14th FA Cup and his first trophy since joining the Londoners from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018.

The moment @Aubameyang7 dropped the #FACup! pic.twitter.com/MXlv2Ub6zd

�?SPORF (@Sporf) August 1, 2020

The Gabon international has been prolific in his two-and-a-half years in England, attracting interest from around Europe with just one year of his contract at the Emirates left to run.

But Arteta is confident Aubameyang will be convinced to stay by Arsenal's upturn since the Spaniard took charge in December.

"He knows what I think about him, I want to build a squad around him," said Arteta.

"I think he wants to stay, it is about getting the deal done. I think moments like that will help to realise and give him belief that we are in the right path and he is a big part of it.

• Read | Three things we learned from the FA Cup final

"He is loved by everyone at the club so hopefully he will continue with us."

Victory also secured Arsenal's place in the Europa League next season to ensure they did not miss out on European football for the first time in 25 years.

Arteta warned that failure to qualify for Europe would further restrict his transfer budget before the new Premier League season starts in just six weeks' time.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored more goals across all competitions since making his Arsenal debut than any other player for a Premier League club.#SignDaTing is trending. pic.twitter.com/XMybLHKMza

�?Squawka Football (@Squawka) August 1, 2020

"It is a double reward for us, it is really important for this club in every way to be in Europe," added Arteta, who became the first man to win the FA Cup for Arsenal as a captain and coach.

"Winning this competition is part of our history. It's 14 now, I contributed, we all did it, so I am so happy."

Aubameyang paid tribute to Arteta's impact after what had been a desperately disappointing start to the season under Unai Emery, but dodged questions on his future.

"He deserves this win. He did a great job and we are all happy to have him on board," said Aubameyang.

"Nothing," he added when pushed for comment on his plans for next season. "Today, it's just about the trophy."

Arsenal beat Chelsea 2-1 thanks to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's brace in the FA Cup final on Saturday, and we look at three things we learned from the Wembley clash:

Irreplacable Aubameyang

In what could be his last game for Arsenal, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang showed why the Gunners must do everything in their power to keep the Gabon forward.

The 31-year-old is out of contract at the end of next season and has been linked with a move amid reports he wants to play for a club in the Champions League.

Coach Mikel Arteta insists Aubameyang wants to stay, but he also conceded winning the FA Cup would be a useful way to show him the club are heading in the right direction.

1 - Mikel Arteta is the first Arsenal manager to win a major trophy in their first season in charge of the club since George Graham in 1986-87. Natural. #FACupFinal #ARSCHE pic.twitter.com/UX3B0t36K3

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 1, 2020

Arsenal did their part and it was Aubameyang who provided the crucial cutting edge.

The first African player to start an FA Cup final as captain, Aubameyang became the second-oldest player to score for Arsenal in the showpiece.

With Arsenal trailing to Christian Pulisic's early goal, Aubameyang's blistering break left Cesar Azpilicueta trailing in his wake.

Azpilicueta responded by tugging at Aubameyang's shoulder and the forward made the most of the contact as he tumbled in the area to win a penalty that he dispatched with a ruthless efficiency.

31y 44d - @Aubameyang7 is the oldest player to score for Arsenal in an FA Cup final since 1932, when Bob John netted for the Gunners against Newcastle (33y 80d). Expertise. #FACupFinal #ARSCHE pic.twitter.com/2MNYzydJ2M

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 1, 2020

Aubameyang won the German Cup with Borussia Dortmund in 2017, scoring the winning goal from the penalty spot.

Once again, he would be the star, but this time it was his skill and improvisation that proved decisive as he jinked past Kurt Zouma and clipped a fine finish over Willy Caballero in the 67th minute.

Chelsea hamstrung by Pulisic injury

Christian Pulisic had emerged as a key figure for Chelsea since the hiatus, but a day that started on a high for the United States winger ended in agony.

It has been that kind of turbulent season for Pulisic, whose first year with Chelsea started slowly amid injuries and poor form before bursting into life.

He was on the scoresheet after just five minutes, with his 11th goal of the season.

1 - @cpulisic_10 is the first American player to score in an FA Cup final, while it was Chelsea's quickest goal in the final of the competition since Roberto Di Matteo in 1997 (first minute v Middlesbrough). Blocks. #FACupFinal #ARSCHE pic.twitter.com/QKOM5AiOqn

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 1, 2020

Drifting into central midfield to take possession, Pulisic slipped a precise pass to Mason Mount and carried on his run into the Arsenal penalty area, where he took Olivier Giroud's flick and slotted past Emiliano Martinez.

Pulisic was the first American to score in the FA Cup final but disaster struck in the 49th minute when he raced away for a shot that was interrupted when he felt his hamstring twang.

Immediately grabbing the injured area, Pulisic was helped off the pitch.

38 �?At 38 years and 308 days, @willy_caballero is the oldest ever player to play in an FA Cup final for Chelsea. Vintage. #FACupFinal #ARSCHE pic.twitter.com/ulCgcfKJps

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 1, 2020

Without the pace of Pulisic to keep Arsenal's defence on the back foot, Frank Lampard's side were bereft of a cutting edge in the final third as the trophy slipped from their grasp.

Arteta bolsters growing reputation

Mikel Arteta enhanced his reputation as one of the Premier League's brightest young managers with another tactical masterclass.

Having out-witted his mentor Pep Guardiola in Arsenal's FA Cup semi-final success against Manchester City, Arteta showed his acumen again to leave Chelsea boss Frank Lampard out of answers.

Arteta's use of long passes into the channels behind Chelsea's two attacking full-backs exposed the flaw in Lampard's defensive system and led directly to Aubameyang's equaliser.

5 - Excluding home games, @Aubameyang7 is only the fifth player to score 2+ goals in a match at Wembley Stadium in club football more than once, after @IanWright0, Bryan Robson, Ian Rush and Eric Cantona. Quintet. #FACupFinal #ARSCHE pic.twitter.com/ObCGu9mXwe

�?OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 1, 2020

Leading Arsenal to their 14th FA Cup success -- which brings them a place in next season's Europa League -- showed the 38-year-old Spaniard is the man to restore the club's tattered reputation.

Arsenal may have endured their lowest league finish for a quarter of a century this season as Arteta battled to steady the ship following Unai Emery's sacking in December.

But he has won over his players with a direct approach to discipline -- banishing malcontents Mesut Ozil and Matteo Guendouzi -- and his astute game-plans.

Winning the FA Cup will buy Arteta time to continue his rebuild and it was fitting his first trophy as Arsenal manager came in the tournament that brought the last major silverware of Gunners legend Arsene Wenger's reign.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Adam Davy