Arsenal legend Paul Merson believes that Mikel Arteta’s banishment of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could cost The Gunners in the top four race.
Speaking on Sky Sports on Saturday morning, the two time Division One winner said he believed Aubameyang could no longer redeem himself from his current situation and that the relationship between the striker and manager had been irrecoverably damaged.
Merson emphasised the need for Arsenal to buy a striker this window, and conceded that not signing one or bringing back the Gabon international from the cold could ultimately cost them in the race for top four.
Arsenal are realistically competing against the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United for a spot in next season’s Champions League, and Arsenal are the only one without a clear cut-throat goalscorer up front.
Aubameyang has been frozen out of Arteta’s Arsenal squad since a disciplinary breach in early December which also saw him stripped of the club’s captaincy. Despite his perceived importance to the team, results had actually picked up after he was dropped from the team over the Christmas period.
You can watch the full video below.
??"It's going to take some going for the lad to come back"
Paul Merson believes there is no way back for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in to the Arsenal squad even if Mikel Arteta doesn't buy a striker in the transfer window pic.twitter.com/YDJD098OJS
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) January 22, 2022
Pictures courtesy of Sky Sports
Everyone is talking about Auba like it is 2yrs ago. If he is back in the squad will he even contribute that much?