Pundit fears Aubameyang will be sold to Prem rival; make gulf even bigger

Jo Harrison

Former Arsenal favourite Charlie Nicholas fears top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be sold to Manchester City this summer to help fund the club’s rebuild under Mikel Arteta.

There’s already a huge gulf between the two clubs, with City sitting 17 points of Arsenal in the current table before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak.

And there are concerns that the loss of the Gabon international would automatically widen the gap further.

Aubameyang shared the Premier League Golden Boot with Liverpool due Sadio Mane and Mo Salah last season and has bagged an impressive 49 league goals since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018.

But his contract runs out at the end of this season and Arsenal would likely be looking to sell this summer if they can’t arrange a new deal with the 30-year-old.

Nicholas still believes that Aubameyang wants to continue his Arsenal career but thinks that, right now, Manchester City are a more viable option than Liverpool or Manchester United if he does go.

“I do not think Aubameyang is seeking to leave,” Nicholas told Sporting Life.

“He was only a star at Borussia Dortmund. If he is thinking about leaving, are Manchester United going to give you more opportunities as it stands? I do not think so.

 

“Would he get into Liverpool’s side? No. Manchester City could be an option so that he could replace Sergio Aguero, but the only alternatives are the two giants of Spain [Barcelona and Real Madrid], but I do not think he is that type.

“If it was City or the two giants, I would accept it, but the rest I cannot be convinced that he would be guaranteed game time.”

Nicholas believes Arsenal’s inability to pin down players is an ongoing concern and that’s why, ultimately, he thinks Aubameyang’s days in a Gunners shirt could be numbered.

“The signs are still promising, but the weakness of Arsenal to deliver contracts is what terrifies me more than anything. My gut feeling is that he will be sold to allow the restructure of Mikel Arteta’s team.”