Real Madrid reportedly rejected the chance to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last month before he joined Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund.
According to a report by Spanish publication El Gol Digital, Real Madrid turned down the opportunity to secure the services of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the January transfer window. The Gabonese striker joined Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund on deadline day in a £55 million deal.
Aubameyang has evolved into a true goalscoring extraordinaire over his four-and-a-half-year spell at Borussia Dortmund. The last 30 months, in particular, have seen the player prove himself as a prolific powerhouse, not just in Germany but across Europe as well.
The Gabonese international has been in his elements this season too, with 21 goals and 3 assists in 24 appearances across all competitions. His time at Dortmund though, came to an end on deadline day of last month’s transfer window in a rather acrimonious fashion, with Arsenal landing him in a £55 million deal.
95 Aubameyang goals. Enjoy! pic.twitter.com/kW7Y2Dx7gJ
— Aubameyang (@AubameyangStats) February 1, 2018
But, the Gunners could well have lost the race to sign Aubameyang, as his services were first offered to Real Madrid. The report by El Gol Digital suggests that the player’s first preference was to move to the Bernabeu, and it really does not come as a surprise.
Indeed, the 28-year-old has, time and again, iterated his desire to join Real Madrid, the club of his dreams. But, as it turns out, Los Blancos were not interested in signing him, despite their obvious troubles in front of goal.
Real Madrid reasoned that Aubameyang’s troublesome ways – he was suspended on three occasions by Dortmund in the first half of the season – will not go down well at Santiago Bernabeu and as a result, the Spanish and European champions decided to reject the chance of signing him at a price lower than what Arsenal paid for him.
A striker, though, is still a priority for Los Blancos, with the likes of Harry Kane and Mauro Icardi reportedly being their preference. As far as Aubameyang is concerned, his dream of playing for Real Madrid looks to be one that he is unlikely to realise, and he will now shift his attention towards achieving success at Arsenal.
The Gunners, too, would hope that the player is able to showcase the kind of form that saw him become the Bundesliga top scorer last season, as they look to solve their own goalscoring woes upon the departure of Alexis Sanchez.
