Chelsea hero disagrees with Arsenal decision to sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was wrong to sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang when he did.

Aubameyang joined Arsenal in 2018 and over the course of four years established himself as one of the club’s deadliest ever strikers, with 92 goals in 163 games.

The 32-year-old also became club captain during this time, but last December he was stripped of the armband and exiled from the team by Arteta after yet another disciplinary issue.

The Gabonese forward eventually left the Emirates in February, joining Barcelona where he has so far scored 10 goals in 16 games, while Arsenal failed to bring in a replacement, leaving Arteta with only two recognised strikers in the squad.

But neither Alexandre Lacazette nor Eddie Nketiah have looked convincing leading the line this season, and with Arsenal faltering in front of goal in their three consecutive losses in April, many have questioned the decision to get rid of Aubameyang.

‘I think they should have kept him, especially if they don’t have anyone to replace him,’ Hasselbaink told Sky Sports ahead of the Gunner’s clash with Chelsea on Wednesday night.

‘He may have been causing trouble on the pitch and off it, but he is the club’s most expensive player and was the club captain, but he scored a lot of goals, and he has proven that since he has moved to Barcelona. And that is what Arsenal need, a goalscorer.’

Arsenal icon Paul Merson, also on Sky Sports, added: ‘The hardest thing in football is to score goals. And some of those from Arsenal have been bad misses, but they have missed some excellent chances during the past three to four games.

‘They are playing to their ceiling and those chances were going in when they were playing at