Should Arsenal sell Aubameyang in January? A case for and against.



Should Arsenal sell Aubameyang in January? A case for and against. 

By Jonny Bray
What a difference a year can make. 
If you’d asked most Arsenal fans what area of the pitch the Gunners were strongest in at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, they’d almost certainly say striker. 
But it’s a different story now, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang seemingly past his prime and Alexandre Lacazette increasingly depicted more as a meme than a footballer online. 
This begs the question, should Arsenal sell Aubameyang this January? 

For 

Aubameyang looks finished. 
Arsenal have improved in every area of the pitch over the last 18 months, but they’ve been badly let down by their strikers. 
Between joining the Gunners in January 2018 and the end of the 2019-20 season, the Gabon international scored 54 times in 85 games. 
However, he has found the back of the net just 14 times in 43 league appearances since. 
And to make matters worse, his form is still declining, with goals becoming harder and harder to come by as the season progresses. 
Another reason now is the time to sell the striker is that we may never get another chance to make some money from his sale. 
Aubameyang signed a new contract during September 2020, meaning he still has most of his three-year deal left. 
Furthermore, at 32 years old, the forward’s re-sale value is declining year on year. 
Finally, there is a clear and obvious option for his long-term replacement, Dominic Calvert-Lewin. 
The English international may be a very different player to Aubameyang, but he fits the profile of Mikel Arteta’s previous signings perfectly. 
Young, English, and with plenty of time at the highest level left in the tank, Calvert-Lewin could be a star at the Emirates. 
If they sell Aubameyang and move quickly, then the Gunners could secure his signature. 

Against 

Despite not being in excellent form, selling Aubameyang isn’t as clear cut a decision as it seems. 
There are several reasons why Arsenal should wait to move the forward on to his next club. 
Firstly, the likelihood of signing his long-term replacement in January is significantly lower than if they looked to replace him in the summer. 
Even if Arteta can entice a Calvert-Lewin or striker of similar quality to North London, signing in him in January would still be bad business. 
The transfer fee are typically higher, the wages too and there is an increased risk of a transfer falling through, and the Gunners being left without a striker. 
Then there’s the hope that, in the right circumstances, Aubameyang could return to his best form. 
His departure from Borussia Dortmund means we know that the forward can be challenging to deal with on his way out. 
He even apologised to the fans of the German club after throwing a hissy fit in an attempt to leave. 
This shows that it could just be a case of getting him back on side. 
Obviously, this is easier said than done, but the Gunners would be a formidable side if they were able to get Aubameyang’s toys back in the pram. 

Conclusion 

Frankly, Aubameyang has had his chance. 
The first half of this season was, in my opinion, an excellent opportunity for the striker to show that he still has a lot to offer Arteta and his side. 
But sadly, it’s not meant to be. 
Despite a difficult end to his time at the club, leaving now could be what is best for Aubameyang and Arsenal both in the short and long term. 
The longer he stays, the more damage is done to his legacy at the club. 
And crucially, Arsenal will want to take advantage of an improving midfield and defence by getting a red-hot goal scorer to lead the line. 

Photo Credit: Getty Images 

Popular posts from this blog

What have we learned from Arsenal's pre-season so far?

Image
  Arsenal – what have we learned from pre-season? By Jack Lacey-Hatton It only feels five minutes since Euro 2020, but incredibly we are just one week away from the new Premier League season starting. Arsenal will travel to newly promoted Brentford for a London derby in front of a noisy crowd next Friday night, not the easiest of starts to the new campaign. But what sort of shape are Mikel Arteta’s side in, going into what could be a defining season for the manager? We took a close look at what we have learnt from the pre-season period and what kind of shape the squad are in.   The new signings are ready to go It has been a mixed transfer window so far. Some fans would have expected more both leaving and arriving at the Emirates stadium over the summer. But positives can be taken - Ben White has arrived from Brighton for £50million, and highly-rated full back Nuno Tavares has come in from Benfica. Albert Sambi Lokonga completes the 2021 summer singings so far. Cruc...
Read more

Transfer Profile: Ruben Neves

Image
Transfer Profile: Ruben Neves By Jonny Bray It is hard to believe that Ruben Neves is still only 25-years-old.   It feels as if the Portuguese international has been tipped for big things for nearly a decade now.  With the midfielder out of contract in 2023, it appears his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers could be coming to an end.  Understandably, with a player like Neves on offer for a reduced price, clubs around Europe are queueing up to secure the international's signature.  So, after all this time, should Arsenal move for Ruben Neves now, or is it time for the Gunners to turn their attention to a new target?  What would he bring?  Arsenal do not have enough defensive midfielders.  Martin Ødegaard, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka give Mikel Arteta plenty of midfield options going forward, but the Gunners have been found lacking when out of possession this season. Thomas Partey has been in and out of the side due to injuries, a fact that has not hel...
Read more

Where will Arsenal finish this season?

Image
Where will Arsenal finish this season? By Alec McQuarrie Arsenal have made steady improvement over the last few seasons under Mikel Arteta. After finishing 8th in his debut season, the Spaniard oversaw a five-point improvement in his first full campaign.  And last year an eight-point leap followed, which was unfortunately not enough to pip Tottenham to fourth place.  Cruelly, the 69 points accumulated would have been enough to seal Champions League qualification in the previous two seasons.  Looking at the trajectory over the Arteta era, it would be fair to assume a continued improvement this coming season.  After all, with five signings already secured this summer and Alexandre Lacazette the sole first-team player to depart, surely fourth place should be a bare minimum expectation.  Oleksandr Zinchenko offers much-needed cover at left-back and competition for central midfield.  Gabriel Jesus is a proven goalscorer and brings a tireless work-ethic to fulfil...
Read more