Arsenal could be about to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
According to The Telegraph, the club are in talks to sign Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund. The 28-year-old striker could cost them around £40m. Arsenal are said to have stepped-up their pursuit of the player after receiving assurances from Sven Mislintat, Arsenal’s new head of recruitment who previously worked for Dortmund, about Aubameyang’s attitude.
The former AC Milan striker has had some disciplinary issues this season, after failing to secure a transfer away last summer, but Mislintat has reportedly provided his new employers with a positive character reference. Aubameyang has scored 21 goals in 23 appearances this season, and 141 goals in 212 games since arriving from Saint-Étienne in 2013. The report claims that Arsenal forward Olivier Giroud could join Dortmund as part of the deal.
According to Guillem Balague, Dortmund will make a decision about his future on Tuesday, and the Bundlesliga club could ask for as much as €60m (£53.3m) for the Gabonese forward. Aubameyang was left out of Dortmund’s squad for the goalless draw with Wolfsburg last Sunday, and his time at the club appears to be drawing to a close. Balague claims that the transfer may take a week to complete, but Arsenal believe that have convinced the player to join, and they now need to agree on a deal with Dortmund.
So, this time next week, Aubameyang could be an Arsenal player, but he is unlikely to ever line-out for the club alongside Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean is reportedly on the verge of a transfer to Manchester United, after Manchester City pulled-out of the race to sign the forward from Arsenal. Chelsea are also said to be interested in signing Sanchez this month.
Arsenal have also been linked with a move for Bordeaux’s 20-year-old Brazilian forward Malcom, as the club seek a replacement for Sanchez and try to turn their season around. Following Sunday’s 2-1 defeat away to Bournemouth, Arsene Wenger’s side are in sixth place in the Premier League, eight points away from Chelsea in fourth spot.
Aubameyang could provide the spark Arsenal’s season badly needs, but the potential move also raises questions about where he would fit into Wenger’s team. The Gunners signed Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon for £46.5m before the season started, but the French striker has scored just eight goals so far and hasn’t found the net since scoring against United at the start of December. In Lacazette’s defence, his teammates often fail to find him with passes when he makes potentially threatening runs, and he tends to get substituted late in games.
According to the Telegraph’s report, “Arsenal believe he will benefit from competition for his place and is also capable of partnering Aubameyang.” However, some Arsenal supporters, and other football fans, are unsure about how the team will line-out if Aubameyang joins.
https://twitter.com/CreativeMesut/status/952610608213577728
https://twitter.com/CreativeMesut/status/952610608213577728
Sure they won’t always all be available etc, but not sure how Wenger plans on fitting in Ozil, Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan and Lacazette together…. maybe it’ll just be Wilshere as the holding midfielder by himself now
— Karl Matchett (@karlmatchett) January 15, 2018
https://twitter.com/Lister__/status/952644643954442240
If & I say if 🤣if we buy Aubameyang Malcom along with lacazette we need to keep Giroud because all these can play off & around him with his hold up play & the movement & pace of these players could be a very exciting combination need a focal point
— Lee Judges (@leemarkjudges) January 16, 2018
How would Aubameyang and Lacazette work in the same side?
— CD14 (@c_d_14) January 14, 2018
https://twitter.com/RedLacazette9/status/952620862678630400
I don't understand what Wenger is going to do. Playing Lacazette and Aubameyang together either means a two or AL behind Auba.
Mkhi is basically Özil. But you then have to accommodate both for a few months.
Has the feel of a club on the slide.
— Andrew 🦄🏴 (@thegibshow_) January 15, 2018
