Arsenal hero and former striker Ian Wright fears the potential departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would heap pressure on some of the club’s promising young attackers.
The striker turns 31 this week and will enter into the final year of his contract next season (via Transfermarkt.co.uk). The Gunners paid £57.38m to sign the Gabonese international from Borussia Dortmund back in January 2018 and he has been a real success to date, netting 61 times in 97 appearances.
Aubameyang was recently quoted as saying: “I have not received a proposal recently, but we have had discussions with the club for quite a few months. The board know very well why nothing has happened so far. They have the key. It’s up to them to do their job and then we’ll see how it goes.
Do you think Aubameyang will sign a contract extension?
Yes
No
“It’s a turning point in my career and, to be frank with everyone, this will be a very difficult decision to make. But beware, I haven’t made my choice yet. It will be perhaps the most important decision of my career.”
Speaking on a recent edition of BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast, Wright shared his view on the situation and expressed his concern for his former club if they are to lose their captain this summer. (19:15)
He said: “I don’t know how to say it, but I’m just desperate for him to stay.
“If he’s not there, I shudder to think [about] the pressure that would be on Eddie Nketiah and [Gabriel] Martinelli and [Alexandre] Lacazette, depending on how long he stays.
“You just look at it and you think to yourself, Arsenal have to make sure that they make the kind of offer that they cannot be questioned about.
“They are going to have to convince him that they are going to try and do the right thing.”
TIF Thoughts…
If Aubameyang was to leave the club, Alexandre Lacazette would be the most senior forward available to Mikel Arteta but he has not been anywhere near as prolific as his teammate. The former Dortmund striker has averaged a goal every 1.59 games in an Arsenal shirt compared to the Frenchman’s record which stands at a goal every 2.53 games.
In our view, Ian Wright is justified in his concern about the pressure his departure would put on Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli who are 21 and 18 years of age, particularly if Lacazette were to also head for the exit. It was claimed by AS during the pause in the season that Atletico Madrid were considering a move for the 29-year-old who Arsenal don’t consider to be an ‘essential’ player.
Mikel Arteta, however, remains “pretty positive” about the chances of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang extending his contract at the Emirates Stadium when quizzed on the subject during a recent press conference (as per BBC Sport) – so, there is no need to panic just yet.