Barcelona have reportedly reached an agreement to secure the services of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on loan from Arsenal.
According to reputed Spanish journalist Gerard Romero, La Liga heavyweights Barcelona have taken a step closer towards landing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Catalan giants have agreed to sign the former Arsenal captain on loan but will need to offload Ousmane Dembele first.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s stock has spectacularly nosedived since he signed a bumper new contract with Arsenal 18 months ago. Up until that moment, the Gabonese forward had been a talismanic figure for the Gunners, scoring goals for fun and even winning the Premier League Golden Boot in the 2018/19 season.
But the last 18 months have been a nightmare for the 32-year-old, as goals started drying up before he was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy due to disciplinary breaches. Aubameyang was not enjoying a good 2021/22 season anyway, having scored only four goals in 14 league outings. Things have gone from bad to worse with each passing week, with Arsenal keen on offloading the veteran striker.
Barcelona could come to Arsenal’s aid, with the Blaugrana prepared to land Aubameyang before the transfer deadline on Monday. Barcelona’s primary target for much of January had been Alvaro Morata, but signing the Spanish international has proven to be nigh on impossible.
Aubameyang has thus become a late priority for Barcelona, whose need to sign a striker has become urgent since Sergio Aguero’s decision to hang up his boots. While Martin Braithwaite and Luuk de Jong have made some noteworthy contributions for Barcelona, neither is reliable as a regular option.
So it is not surprising that the Catalan giants have stepped up their efforts to sign Aubameyang, with recent reports claiming that talks between them and Arsenal had advanced. The Gabonese forward has now taken a step closer to joining Barcelona, with the deal agreed between all the parties.
But there is a major stumbling block standing in Barcelona’s way, as they will first need to offload Ousmane Dembele before completing Aubameyang’s signing. The Frenchman is heavily linked with several European bigwigs, including Chelsea and Manchester United, and if either club can sign him before Monday’s deadline, Aubameyang could join Barcelona.
Why not a six mounth swap Ousmane Dembele to Arsenal and Aubameyang to Barcelona. What ever happens i beleive Arsenal fan’s, deserve to know exactly why Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s services are no longer required at Arsenal.