A story recently revealed that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was not interested in signing a new deal with Arsenal. The club failed to assure him of Champions League football once again. Due to this, there was a sudden rumour of interest from Chelsea for the former Borussia Dortmund man. The Blues have been looking to add more firepower up front, with some of their players leaving this summer.
With the Gunners likely to lose out on the player next summer for free, the best option now seems to be selling the Gabon international. Unless he signs a new deal, there isn’t much hope for the Londoners.
The board of the north London giants would not be keen on repeating the error they made in Aaron Ramsey’s case, though the personnel have changed now. Raul Sanllehi and Edu Gaspar will be keen on doing things the right way this time.
They will surely know that Aubameyang is priced at around €50m (based on TransferMarkt). They will want to cash in on their priced asset. However, the right time to sell will be this summer, if the player fails to agree on a new deal.
Aubameyang is 30 at present, but still has the pace to trouble various defences. Despite that, his overall contribution in the game is minimal. Apart from the times when he is scoring, he tends to fade away.
Though there is no concern about his work-rate at present, there is no guarantee how long he will be able to deliver. He is lucky to be fully fit at present, with no major injury concerns in his career.
On the other hand, he was one of the Golden Boot winners from last season. These things add more value to his current pricing and the London giants can capitalize on this. It doesn’t make sense to retain a player who will be 31 this year. Due to this, here are three reasons why Arsenal should look to sell Aubameyang-
Arsenal Need The Money
The self-sustaining model has now crashed. The Gunners are in need of more money to fund the functioning of the club. Further, some money has finally been fed by the Kroenkes. They know that money is needed for the smooth working of the club. Keeping that in mind, they will not be spending cash on the transfers.
Also, the north Londoners have some pending payments to make. The transfers of Nicholas Pepe and William Saliba have not been paid yet in full. Due to this, the club needs money. The sale of Aubameyang seems to be the most likely source as of now.
Also, Chelsea’s interest in the player will only hike his market price. This could be a great strategy to capitalize on. The Gunners could get a lot of money from this deal, to use elsewhere.
Gabriel Martinelli And Eddie Nketiah Should Be Starters
There is no point in having the likes of Martinelli and Nketiah on the bench. Even Bukayo Saka and Reiss Nelson have a lot of potential. The former was Arsenal’s player of the current season. These along with Alexandre Lacazette can be quite handy for a season or two.
If the club wants to develop these stars, they need to stay and play regularly for the first-team. With that being said, Aubameyang’s sale will only help their cause. They may not be 100% ready to be the first-choice stars yet. However, only regular game-time can change that.
Due to this, if the former Dortmund man departs, it could be better for their career too. Martinelli can play on the wings and as a striker. Nketiah, on the other hand, is a pure striker. The two are still quite young and can be long-term assets versus and ageing Auba.
No Champions League Football
Aubameyang’s condition to extend his stay at Arsenal was Champions League football. However, the Gunners have failed to deliver yet again. Unless a miracle happens and they are in Europe’s top competition, they will once again be playing in the Europa League.
Due to this, there is very little hope for their star striker to say. He wanted to play in the UCL and with his exit now imminent, it is best for Arsenal just to sell him.
