After another damaging result at the weekend, Arsenal’s Champions League hopes hang in the balance. The Gunners currently find themselves eight points off of fourth spot and it’s not even mid-November. As a result, the pressure is increasing on the Spanish coach and his future remains uncertain despite the club’s recent statement of support.
If Emery’s side were to fail to qualify for Europe’s premier competition for another season, the club run the risk of losing star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Gabonese forward’s contract is up at the end of next season and Arsenal could find themselves in a position that’s all too familiar – dealing with a want-away star with a year left on his contract.
The striker has been one of the few shining lights this season, scoring eight goals in 12 games so far but at 30 years of age you have to wonder if he will put pen-to-paper whilst the clubs participation in next season’s Champions League remains in doubt.
Alexis Sanchez, Robin van Persie and Cesc Fabregas before him have all departed because they didn’t feel the club’s ambitions matched their own and there’s a concern amongst the Arsenal fans that Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette could be heading the same way given their reported reluctance to sign new deals.
The #WeCareDoYou campaign was launched this summer which prompted a response from the Arsenal ownership but the club finds itself in familiar territory, needing a strong second half of the season and forced to negotiate contract extensions from a position of weakness.
Raul Sanllehi is said to have updated Arsenal’s contract renewal process and in theory, his revamped approach regarding those coming towards the end of their current deals makes sense.
However, the issue is not always just one of financials. Often, players consider whether they feel the club is moving in the right direction and will bide their time whilst running down their contract. Sanllehi’s theory is great but in reality, it’s not always applicable and a situation such as this one further highlights the significance of Champions League qualification and the knock-on effect missing out could have. It’s a must.