Arsenal star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is in limbo as the Gabonese striker’s move to Barcelona has broken down.
According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein via Twitter, Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has seen a move to Barcelona in the ongoing January transfer window all but collapse.
The Gabon international has seen his stock fall at the Emirates and has not featured for the club since a brief cameo against Everton back in December. He was stripped of the Gunners captaincy and left out of the Arsenal squad that travelled to Dubai for their training camp.
As his teammates soaked up the sun in the middle east, Aubameyang was in Barcelona as a loan switch to the Nou Camp looked to be on the cards. That, however, seems to be off now as both clubs have had a breakdown in talks. The major point of contention is the player’s massive wages.
The Catalan giants are not in the best financial position and Arsenal for their part, do not appear to be able to do the heavy lifting themselves. Unless there is a late change of mind, it would appear that the move to Catalonia is off.
? EXCLUSIVE: Barcelona / Arsenal talks for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang loan have broken down over salary. 32yo returning to London from what’s said to have been a family trip to Spanish city. Unless #FCBarcelona find major money it’s off @TheAthleticUK #AFC https://t.co/eRNFZ74LsC
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) January 31, 2022
Arsenal’s heavy-handed treatment of the player is surprising given their need for a reliable presence upfront. Aubameyang has been a prolific goalscorer since moving from Borussia Dortmund in 2018 and even led the club to 2020 FA Cup glory. He has scored 92 goals and made 21 assists in just 163 games for the Gunners in all competitions.
Aubameyang is just eight goals away from joining an elite list of players who have netted 100 or more times for the North London giants. One can understand Arteta’s decision to discipline the player. While his transgression does, to an extent, deserves criticism, completely sidelining him, especially at Arsenal’s cost, could prove counterproductive.
This is especially the case given the Gunners’ inability to field or bring in a dependable player to replace the 32-year-old. Arsenal have endured a difficult January, scoring just once all month. Alexandre Lacazette has struggled to lead the line, and the lack of goals could see them fall away in the race for a top-four finish.
The Gunners still have a long way to go in their rebuild but could speed it nicely if they secure Champions League football. It is certainly on the table as clubs around them repeatedly throw away the initiative. Arteta will do well to shelve his pride and make the optimal use of every resource at his disposal to ensure the Gunners clinch that all-important fourth spot.
Despite his recent struggles, Aubameyang is easily Arsenal’s most clutch player up front, and it is in the club’s best interests to restore him to the starting XI. With just hours left in the transfer window, it appears unlikely that another striker is on the way to the Emirates. Given that, it is all the more important that the most potent weapon in the club’s arsenal does not rust in the scabbard.
