In another late turnaround, it now seems that the transfer taking stripped Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Barcelona is back on, with the Athletic reporting that the striker has reached a verbal agreement with the La Liga powerhouses.
The Athletic have found that Aubameyang has agreed a six-month loan move with Barcelona, which contains the option for a further year, which should it be triggered would end the 32-year-old’s time at Arsenal.
Aubameyang has been cast away by Mikel Arteta since December, amid a string of disciplinary issues that ultimately left the striker stripped of the Gunners’ captaincy.
The Athletic add that Aubameyang is expected to undergo a medical tonight.
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Just hours ago, Ornstein reported that talks over a loan switch for the Gabon superstar had broken down due to salary, in a twist that would’ve left his trip to Barcelona chalked down simply to a ‘family’ one:
? EXCLUSIVE: Barcelona / Arsenal talks for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang loan have broken down over salary. 32yo returning to London from what’s said to have been a family trip to Spanish city. Unless #FCBarcelona find major money it’s off @TheAthleticUK #AFC https://t.co/eRNFZ74LsC
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) January 31, 2022
Aubameyang has not been the player that fans adored since he arrived in north London in January 2018 this season, whilst a tally of seven goals and two assists from 15 appearances across all competitions doesn’t look at all bad on paper, the forward has looked a peripheral figure in far too many matches and the off-field issues led to Arteta banishing the superstar.
The Times reported at the time that the mega new contract that Aubameyang penned when he renewed with the Gunners was worth around £350,000-a-week, it will be interesting to see if this mammoth pay packet will pop up and halt the switch to Barcelona again.