Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang determined to prove Mikel Arteta wrong by joining club at the ‘highest level’
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is not interested in a move to Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal and wants to join a club at the ‘highest level’ to prove to Mikel Arteta he’s making a mistake in ostracising him at Arsenal.
The 32-year-old hasn’t featured for the club since being stripped of the captaincy in December, following the latest in a long line of disciplinary breaches.
Aubameyang has 18 months to run on his contract at the Emirates and his £250,000-a-week wages have proved a stumbling block for suitors, with Saudi side Al Hilal the only team to put up an offer for the Gabon international.
Arsenal are minded to accept the side’s bid – which is worth around £8m – as they know that any loan exit would require the club to pay for part of Aubameyang’s wages and the Gunners would rather have a clean break.
However, the Athletic report that Aubameyang is not interested in a move to Saudi Arabia and he’s convinced he can still cut it at the top level in Europe.
In fact, Aubameyang feels a move to a ‘top league’ and to a club at the ‘highest level’ would go someway to proving Arteta wrong in his decision to discard of him.
Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have both shown interest in the Gabon captain but they’d require Arsenal to pay part of his wages in any six-month loan deal.
Arsenal need to shift Aubameyang in some capacity before they can hope to complete a deal for Fiorentina ace Dusan Vlahovic.
Reports in Italy claim the Gunners have submitted a £50.1m bid for the Serbian, in a deal that would see Lucas Torreira move in the opposite direction.
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