Well, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has left Arsenal.
Okay so he hasn’t left on a permanent basis just yet – or even a loan.
But the 32-year-old has left Arsenal temporarily to join up with Gabon ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations.
However, their campaign doesn’t begin until the second week of January, prompting suggestions that he could’ve been available to face Manchester City on Saturday.
But according to The Athletic, the Arsenal hitman won’t be around to face Pep Guardiola’s side.
Aubameyang, who was signed by Sven Mislintat in 2018 after working with the German at Borussia Dortmund, has arguably been the North Londoners’ best and most important player for the past four years as a whole.
But Arsenal have won their last four games without their former captain, who was stripped off the captaincy earlier in December and there’s since been speculation about him being transferred in January.
Here’s how their supporters reacted to the report that he has already jetted off for AFCON:
Major player
There’s a temptation to believe that Arsenal don’t particularly need the African marksman, in light of their recent form.
But on his day, Aubameyang is still a monstrous goalscorer and the supporters shouldn’t be celebrating his absence.
Arsenal’s form needs to be taken in context.
Yes they have scored 14 goals in their last three games, but Norwich are bottom of the Premier League, Leeds barely put a squad together due to injuries and Sunderland are in League One.
Things are going good for the Gunners right now, but the bigger teams have been beating them all season – Liverpool, City, Chelsea and Manchester United – and that’s worth remembering.
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