Barcelona have completed the signing of former Arsenal captain, who had left the Gunners by mutual agreement on Monday.
Barcelona have made an official statement to confirm the capture of former Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on a free transfer. The Gabonese striker has signed a contract until 30 June 2025 with an option to agree departure on 30 June 2023, while his buy out clause is set at €100 million. The announcement comes in the wake of the termination of the player’s Arsenal contract.
Initially, it was thought the 32-year-old forward would move on loan, with Arsenal potentially contributing a part of his massive salary. However, after further discussions, the Gunners made it clear they did not want to collaborate with Barcelona or pay any amount of his wages, which eventually led to the termination of his contract.
The original decision caused panic in all three camps, which briefly left the player in the lurch. However, in the last hour of the January transfer window, Barcelona rekindled talks with the striker before reaching an agreement with him.
The 32-year-old striker could be seen as a potential replacement for Sergio Aguero, who recently announced his retirement due to a heart condition. Aubameyang will bring some level of seniority and goalscoring prowess into the Barcelona attack, with the Blaugrana doing reasonably well to recruit players to bolster their offensive unit.
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Earlier in the window, Barcelona signed Adama Traore from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and now, Barcelona’s options in the final third give them plenty of experience, particularly from the Premier League.
Aubameyang leaves Arsenal after a difficult last few months. The club stripped him of the club captaincy due to disciplinary issues this season. Mikel Arteta also banished him from the first-team squad. Despite his absence, the Gunners have done admirably well to set themselves up in the top-four race.
The striker’s departure will certainly help Arsenal save plenty in wages, but they are also left short of options in the final third. Aubameyang leaves the Gunners having played 163 games, scoring 92 goals and providing 21 assists. He also had a huge role in helping the club win the FA Cup in 2020.
As for Barcelona, they have got a good deal on a player who had no future at Arsenal. Playing in La Liga has been Aubameyang’s long-standing dream, which he will realise now and hope to get back in form to help the Catalans in their quest for a top-four finish.
