Barcelona could reportedly make a move for Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January despite his troubled season so far at the Emirates.
The Gabonese international, 32, has been left out of the Gunners’ last two home games in the Premier League, with the player having returned from a sanctioned holiday, although manager Mikel Arteta refused to confirm it.
On Tuesday, the Gunners released a statement on their website citing the striker was stripped of the captaincy following a disciplinary breach last week. He was not involved in the Premier League clash against West Ham on Wednesday evening as the Gunners won 2-0.
According to The Independent, Barcelona are considering a move for Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, as manager Xavi Hernandez seeks a new striker. The Blaugrana have been actually alerted to the 32-year-old’s current situation at the Emirates Stadium, with the centre-forward’s future uncertain at the club.
Xavi Hernandez won his first two La Liga games in charge of the Barcelona boss, but since then, his team has picked up just one point from two league games and suffered elimination from the Champions League group stages.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Barcelona – A smart move by the Blaugrana?
Barcelona have been dealt with back-to-back blows in less than a week. Memphis Depay picked up a hamstring injury in the closing stages of Barcelona’s infamous 3-0 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich last week, ruling him out of action for at least a month. And on Wednesday, Sergio Aguero announced his retirement from football due to a heart condition, bidding a tearful goodbye to the game.
With Martin Braithwaite still out injured, Xavi has Luuk de Jong as the only recognised number 9 fit at this moment in time. Considering the crisis up front, Barcelona’s interest in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang does make sense.
Aubameyang has been one of the most prolific strikers in Europe over the last five-six years, scoring heavily for Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal.
The 32-year-old is simply lethal in front of goal and knows how to consistently find the back of the net at the highest level. He is adept at playing on the left flank and using his pace and movement to cut onto his right foot and score from outside the box.
The Gabon international is excellent at linking play and creating chances for his teammates while being ready to put a shift defensively when required. He is a poacher and can add more goals to Barcelona in their bid to finish in the top four under Xavi.
At 32, Aubameyang may not be a long-term fix for Barcelona, but he is generally a fit player who still can provide two to three years of quality service. Aubameyang needs a change of scenery after stagnating at Arsenal in the last year or so, and Xavi’s style would suit him
The Catalan giants must not hesitate to make a move for the Arsenal striker in the upcoming winter window. However, it remains to be seen if he will agree to a pay-cut considering he is on high wages and Barcelona are not in the best situation financially.