Arsenal boss Unai Emery has appeared to defend Aaron Ramsey for not accepting a contract offer.
Talks with the Wales midfielder, whose current deal expires at the end of the season, have stalled.
And Emery suggested that he understands why a player in Ramsey’s position would hold out for the best possible deal.
“The career for the footballer is very short,” the Spaniard said.
“They are professionals for 10 ,12 or 15 years, but not more, and they need to take the best performance and also work very hard in these years for their future and their family’s future.
“Now I am sure the best for us and the best for him is to take this opportunity to do the best performance each match, to show everyone their best quality.”
Emery also believes Ramsey’s performances will not be affected by his contract impasse.
Emery, whose side welcome Watford to the Emirates Stadium on Saturday looking for a seventh straight win in all competitions, would not be drawn on whether he wanted Ramsey to stay.
With Emery working as head coach, unlike the more autonomous role of predecessor Arsene Wenger, he is less involved in transfer dealings and contract negotiations.
But he does feel Ramsey, who joined the Gunners from Cardiff in 2008, will remain focused on putting in his best performances for the club before his apparent exit next summer.
Asked if Ramsey’s contract situation could affect his performances, Emery replied: “I think not.
“I want to have also the best preparation for him, for his mentality and for his quality to give us our best performance to help us to win.
“I spoke this question, this situation, in the pre-season and now it is the same.
“Each player, they have their individual situations with their contracts and this is one thing – for me today is not the day to speak a lot.
“It is enough that we are speaking about individual players like Aaron Ramsey, he is an important player and on Saturday he will be helping the team with his performance.”