The Hard Tackles takes a look at three ideal destinations for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as Arsenal consider offloading their star forward.
The past couple of transfer windows have been quite the busy ones for Arsenal, who have made constant chops and changes to their side following the arrival of Mikel Arteta.
That is unlikely to change in the upcoming summer transfer window as the Spaniard looks to offload many of the fringe players like Sead Kolasinac, Calum Chambers and Alexandre Lacazette, in order to pave the way for new arrivals.
However, a recent report from Football Insider suggests that Arsenal could be ready to even offload Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this summer, with the north London giants reportedly open to listening to offers for their attackers.
It appears Arteta has gotten frustrated with the forward’s mixed form in front of goal while the Arsenal captain himself does not really fit into his tactical philosophy. Therefore, the Gunners are ready to part ways with Aubameyang in the summer, to relieve themselves of his hefty £300,000-a-week wages that could serve as a massive financial boost for the club.
Here, at The Hard Tackle, we will figure out the three clubs that should certainly look to take advantage of Aubameyang’s current situation at Arsenal and secure his services in the upcoming transfer window.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid could be a logical destination for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as they brace themselves for a transitional period, with players like Gareth Bale, Isco and Lucas Vazquez facing an uncertain future at the club.
Even Martin Odegaard has been linked with a permanent move to Arsenal while star striker Karim Benzema is nearing the final phase of his career. Although Aubameyang is also not necessarily a long-term youth prospect himself, his addition in the Real Madrid squad could certainly make sense, from a tactical perspective.
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The Gabonese international is quite versatile and can operate either as a centre-forward or as a winger. He has the pace that should make him a tailor-made fit under Zidane’s counter-attack oriented tactical philosophy while the attacker also has a box of tricks up his sleeve.
In addition to this pace and trickery, Aubameyang can offer the productivity going forward that could potentially make him an upgrade over Vinicius Junior, although the Brazilian does admittedly boast superior dribbling skills and is a far better ball-carrier.
Nonetheless, at Real Madrid, Aubameryang can turn out to be an ideal replacement for Bale. He has loads of experience at the highest level of football and currently at the peak of his powers, making him an ideal coup for Los Blancos.
Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain top the list of clubs who can afford Aubameyang’s hefty wages but even from a tactical perspective, his arrival at the club could make a world of sense.
There is no secret that Mauricio Pochettino is actively looking for a new striker in the summer as Moise Kean’s loan contract expires at the end of the season while Mauro Icardi is likely to return to Italy after failing to live up to the expectations.
In Aubameyang, Pochettino will find a seasoned star who has proven himself at the highest level of football. In addition, with Neymar struggling with numerous injury problems and Angel Di Maria nearing the final phase of his career, the Arsenal captain could turn out to be a smart acquisition for the Ligue 1 giants.
From a tactical perspective, Aubameyang can effortlessly slot into the wide attacking role or even spearhead the PSG attack, with Neymar and Kylian Mbappe providing support from the flanks. There remains a doubt over the long-term future of Mbappe, but that is where Aubameyang’s versatility could be useful for Pochettino.
Stemming from the Francophone nation of Gabon, Aubameyang should also find it easier to settle into life in Paris and his lavish lifestyle should fit in ideally alongside the likes of Neymar. As a matter of fact, the former Borussia Dortmund star has already played in Ligue 1, having joined the Bundesliga outfit in a €13 million move from St. Etienne back in 2013.
He had appeared in 120 matches in the French top-flight, scoring 41 goals and registering 26 assists. Such exposure to football in France could further help him become a quick fit at PSG, who will hope to once again mount a strong challenge for the UEFA Champions League next season.
Juventus
It was always going to be a difficult choice between Atletico Madrid and Juventus, but having already picked one Spanish club so far, we favour Italy to be the next potential destination for Aubameyang, with Juventus, in particular, having more than enough reasons to acquire his services this summer.
Interestingly, the Arsenal forward has played in Italy too, as he was a part of the AC Milan youth academy. He was a part of the Rossoneri side for a total of five years, though he did not make a single senior appearance before eventually joining St. Etienne in 2012.
As for Juventus, they could be in for some changes in the summer following a shock Champions League exit at the hands of FC Porto. While Cristiano Ronaldo’s future in Turin appears to be safe for now, the likes of Paulo Dybala and Aaron Ramsey are almost destined to leave while Alvaro Morata hasn’t had too much success in his second stint at the Allianz Stadium.
It could open up an ideal opportunity for Aubameyang to become a key asset for the Bianconeri next season. His versatility and productivity in the final third should combine well with the presence of Ronaldo, especially given the fact that the Gabonese international can not only score goals but also whip in crosses from wider areas.
Although Aubameyang is unlikely to fit into Andrea Pirlo’s wide-attacking setup, he could certainly start alongside Ronaldo in the strike partnership, thus significantly improving Juventus’ quality going forward.
Although the 31-year-old hasn’t featured in a single game in Serie A, he does bring a lot of experience to the table and shouldn’t find it difficult to get settled in Italy next season, although it remains to be seen whether or not Juventus can afford him this summer.
