The in-demand Arsenal striker apparently agreed to leave the club when Barcelona came knocking.
Guillem Balague has revealed that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was open to the idea of leaving Arsenal in January.
Uncertainty surrounds the Gabon international’s long-term future in North London.
Aubameyang, who has 49 goals in 75 Premier League games for Arsenal, is out of contract next summer and before the global health crisis, the Gunners would’ve either had to sell or risk losing him for free in around 14 months from now.
The former Borussia Dortmund marksman, who joined the Emirates Stadium club a little over two years ago, has hinted that he’d be open to staying and signing a new deal with the club.
Barcelona have been linked with a move in recent months, and Spanish football expert Balague has revealed that the 30-year-old hitman had said yes to joining the Camp Nou club in the most recent transfer window.
He told AFTV: “When Barcelona were looking for a striker and they eventually got Braithwaite [earlier this year], they approached Timo Werner, Aubameyang or Rodrigo of Valencia.
“And they had a yes from the players under the condition that a deal could take place between the clubs. Arsenal said ‘no way we’re not open to selling Aubameyang’.
Balague is certainly a man ‘in the know’ and this doesn’t bode well for Arsenal.
With football suspended for the time being, it remains to be seen when the transfer window even opens but, when it does, it’ll be interesting to see if Mikel Arteta can keep his best player.
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