Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could leave Arsenal in the summer.
After losing a number of players for cheap in the final year of their contracts, it seems Arsenal haven’t learned their lesson.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will have just 12 months left on his deal in the summer and it is likely that he will be sold if he decides against extending his stay at the Emirates.
Replacing a player of his quality will be extremely difficult considering that Arsenal are unlikely to qualify for the Champions League next season.
We asked a few of our writers to imagine themselves in Mikel Arteta’s shoes and here’s what they said they would do to replace Aubameyang in the upcoming transfer window.
Danny Owen (@danny8195):
I would go for Napoli’s Arkadiusz Milik if I’m honest. If Mikel Arteta wants to get Arsenal dominating the opposition like the Wenger days he could do with a target man like Milik who would give Mesut Ozil, Gabriel Martinelli and co someone to combine with in attack.
Arsenal haven’t had an outlet like him since Olivier Giroud left and it’s no coincidence that Ozil’s form has suffered since then.
Sam Preston (@SamJPreston):
Moussa Dembele – Perhaps some Arsenal fans would want to see an experienced hitman come in to replace Aubameyang but it’s tough to convince seasoned pros of the right quality to join a club who look likely to miss out on the Champions League next season.
That’s where Dembele has been playing for Lyon, where he has averaged better than a goal every other game in Ligue 1 since 2018. Dembele used to play for Fulham, so knows London well, and still has plenty of time to improve at just 23.
Chelsea may well provide stiff competition but Arsenal should be looking to muscle in on any deal to bring the French hitman back into English football.
John Verrall (@JohnVerrall):
Lautaro Martinez – Replacing Aubameyang cheaply is going to be impossible for Arsenal, so showing some ambition and making a move for the Inter Milan striker makes the most sense.
Aubameyang has hit 20 goals across all competitions this season, but Martinez has kept up a similar record – hitting the back of the net on 16 occasions.
The Argentine is still only 22, meaning he is still not in his peak years yet. And if Arsenal could bring Martinez to the Emirates Stadium, they could have a reliable finisher to depend upon for the years ahead.
Dan Coombs (@hitcdancoombs):
If Arsenal sell Aubameyang then it would be the wrong move to try and replace him with a like for like striker in terms of profile. The benefit to Arsenal would be a reduced wage bill, and the chance to make the squad younger.
For this reason, I would consider Genk’s Jonathan David as the right player to chase. He has a prolific record and can form a young attacking trio with Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli which Arsenal can build around for years.
David would not block either of them, and due to his age, just 20, there would be patience if he does not hit it off straight away.
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