West Ham United and Newcastle United are reportedly in a battle with Barcelona in pursuit of beleaguered Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
As reported by Spanish publication SPORT, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s declining stature at Arsenal is doing nothing to affect his prospective suitors. Barcelona and West Ham United are among the clubs courting the beleaguered Gabonese star in the January transfer window.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has gone from being the single-most influential figure for Arsenal to a player who does not carry any weight at the Emirates. The 32-year-old finished two seasons as the Gunners’ top scorer, even winning the Premier League Golden Boot once. However, his form has been on the wane since signing a renewal at the onset of the 2020/21 season.
Aubameyang has reached his lowest ebb at Arsenal this term. The striker was already struggling for form this season – he had only four goals and one assist in 14 Premier League appearances – and has now been frozen out of the first-team picture following disciplinary breaches. With the experienced star now on the brink of an exit from Arsenal, several clubs, including Barcelona and West Ham United, are keen on signing him.
The interest from Barcelona is understandable, considering Sergio Aguero has been forced to call time on his career due to a heart ailment. While the Catalan giants have signed Ferran Torres, signing a natural striker will be a step in the right direction for them.
To that end, Aubameyang is a viable target for Barcelona, with his status at Arsenal likely to reduce his price tag. However, Barcelona will need to fend off competition from West Ham United in the race to sign the beleaguered 32-year-old forward from Arsenal.
West Ham’s eagerness to sign the former Arsenal captain makes sense, as Michail Antonio is the only centre-forward at David Moyes’s disposal. The Hammers have been desperately searching for a striker since last January when Sebastien Haller left the club to join Ajax. To that end, Aubameyang is an option worth considering for West Ham.
In addition to Barcelona and West Ham, Newcastle United and Juventus are also keen on signing the experienced attacker. With the competition for his signature intensifying, it remains to be seen where Aubameyang will end up when he leaves Arsenal.
