Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Insists He Doesn't Need to Win Trophies for 'Top Striker' Status

​Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang says he doesn't need to win trophies to be classed as one of football's best strikers but conceded it's always better to get some silverware at the end of a season.

The Gabon international hasn't lifted a trophy - aside from individual honours - since Borussia Dortmund won the DFB-Pokal in 2017, while before that he had only won three other major honours in his career.

Aubameyang's desire to win some more silverware will be crucial when he considers his future at the end of the season, but the 30-year-old has stressed he doesn't need to fill his trophy cabinet to be considered as one of the best strikers around.

"I'm a striker so I will defend my side - I don't think you need trophies to be a top striker," Aubameyang told Soccer Saturday. "Of course, it can help you but we've seen a lot of great players that didn't win trophies but we respect them because of their quality. 

"You don't need to win trophies but if you win it, it's better."

Aubameyang's comments came after Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta made an almost identical observation, using the club's north London rivals as a prime example of how players can still be considered world-class even without any silverware.

"Harry Kane has scored 30 goals [in 2016/17] but never won the Premier League, you know," Arteta said, via the Metro, after being asked if a lack of trophies would play into Aubameyang's future.

"So it’s a good example of players doing phenomenally well, but unfortunately, there’s a lot of top teams in the country and only one wins the league."

Aubameyang's future has been a source of some concern for Arsenal fans of late, with the striker set to enter the final 12 months of his contract at the end of the current campaign. Barcelona are among the clubs who have been tentatively linked with a possible transfer, while some reports even suggest the Gunners have already started looking for replacements (​such as Gent's Jonathan David), in the event that the 30-year-old fails to commit to the club beyond 2021.

However, Aubameyang's latest comments about trophies not being an absolute necessity may well ease fears over an imminent push to leave.

Arsenal could yet end this season with a trophy to their name, as they're one of just four remaining 'big six' sides left in the FA Cup.

For more from Ben Carter, follow him on Twitter!