Gary Neville has told The Football Show that Arsene Wenger made an error only offering Pierre Emerick Aubameyang a three-and-a-half year deal when he joined Arsenal.
Aubameyang’s future at Arsenal is currently extremely uncertain, with his contract set to expire at the end of next term.
Arsenal are now in a poor negotiating position, as they head into the summer transfer window.
The Gunners can’t demand big money for Aubameyang, as clubs know that he’ll be available on a free transfer next summer.
Arsenal now could have to offload Aubameyang for way below his market value, unless they can somehow get him to commit his future to the club.
And Neville feels that Arteta is being made to pay for an oversight from Wenger’s reign, as he feels Aubameyang should have been offered a longer-term contract in the first place.
“That’s a strange thing for me,” Neville said. “It feels to me if you’ve paid £60 million for someone, to have him in a position after three seasons he can leave, Arsenal find themselves in this position far too often. You’d at least want that fourth year so you can control him.
“That’s the mistake that’s been made at day one. The fact they’re in this position now is because of mistakes having been made previously.
“Arsenal are now in a position where the player is going to call the shots.”
If Arsenal are unable to keep Aubameyang it will only serve to make Arteta’s task at the Emirates Stadium even harder.
Aubameyang has been a prolific scorer during his time at Arsenal, and finding another goalscorer of his quality will be extremely tough for the Gunners.
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