Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admits it was vital to secure Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for the next few years.
The Gabon striker and club captain has signed a new three-year contract on Tuesday.
He reportedly turned down two other clubs to commit to the Gunners and their young Spanish manager.
After the news came out, Arteta said: "It was important for Pierre-Emerick to stay with us.
"He's a superb player with an incredible mentality.
"Being the player to have taken the least amount of time to reach 50 goals with this club tells you everything you need to know about him and his way of working.
"He's an important leader for the team and a big part of what we're building.He wants to be up there with the best players in the world and leave his mark. He can achieve that here."
