Aubameyang and 4 other former Arsenal stars who could win a trophy

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In the space of just two weeks in January, Arsenal supporters saw their hopes of avoiding a trophyless season turn to dust.

If an aggregate defeat to Liverpool in the EFL Cup was understandable, being dumped out of the FA Cup by second-tier Nottingham Forest was nothing of the sort. 

But while 2021/22 is shaping up to be a season of progress rather than glory at the Emirates, there are a couple of former Arsenal players who might just be sipping champagne with a medal hanging around their necks come May. 

Ismael Bennacer – AC Milan

You’d have never guessed that Bennacer had scored just two goals in nearly 100 games for the Rossoneri. Especially as the Algeria international thumped a glorious left-footed volley into the corner of the Cagliari net, sealing a third 1-0 win in a row for a Milan side now just eight wins away from a first Serie A title since the days of Clarence Seedorf, Thiago Silva and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. 

Sold to Empoli for just £900,000, the beligerrant, bone-crunching Bennacer made just one first-team appearance at Arsenal, coming in a 3-0 EFL Cup defeat to Sheffield Wednesday. 

Serge Gnabry – Bayern Munich

While Bennacer is on the verge of the first trophy of his club career, Gnabry’s personal trophy cabinet is almost bursting at the seems these days. If Arsene Wenger could turn back the clock, Bayern Munich’s all-conquering Germany international is probably the one player he’d have moved heaven and earth to keep during a disappointing end to his Arsenal era. 

Gnabry has hit double figures for the fourth consecutive season at a Bayern Munich side cruising towards a tenth league title in a row. 

Sokratis Papastathopoulos – Olympiakos

Winning 18 league titles since the turn of the century, Olympiakos’ dominance of the Greek football landscape is almost unrivalled on the continent. So, when Sokratis returned to his homeland 14 months ago, he would have done so expecting to get his hands on plenty of silverware at the Karaiskakis Stadium. 

The veteran defender has played 18 Super League matches this season for an Olympiakos side sitting 17 points clear in top spot.

David Ospina – Napoli

If the Greek Super League is the very definition of ‘one horse race’, then Serie A is the anyone’s to win. A ruthless AC Milan side may be the thinking man’s nap right now but Napoli are certainly an outsider to keep your eyes on. 

Ousting the younger, vastly more expensive Alex Meret to become Luciano Spalletti’s number one between the sticks, Ospina is rolling back the years for a Napoli side just three points behind Milan in second. 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – Barcelona

What a difference a world-class centre-forward makes. Nine goals in eight games is better than even the most optimistic Barcelona supporter might have expected when an out-of-form Aubameyang arrived on a free transfer in January.

But, after firing Barcelona into the Europa League quarter-finals and inspiring a 4-0 evisceration of La Liga leaders Real Madrid, anything feels possible for the Catalan kings with Auba leading the line. 

A rapidly improving Barcelona side are now the clear favourites for the Europa League title.