Arsenal star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has reportedly turned down advances from Saudi Arabia – and will remain a Gunner.
That’s according to reports that say despite interest from the likes of PSG, Marseille, Juventus, AC Milan and Sevilla, there have been no concrete offers for the Gabon goalscorer during his month of exile.
Now, the former skipper – who had his captaincy revoked in December for disciplinary issues – is set to return to training alone in disgrace, until manager Mikel Arteta works out what to do with the star.
Aubameyang joined Arsenal from Borusssia Dortmund in January 2018 during Arsene Wenger’s final season. The striker has been a key figure for the club ever since, proving pivotal in the FA Cup success of 2020 and signing a new contract just months after the final to become the club’s highest-paid player.
But the relationship between him and Arteta soured last year following reports of consistently poor time-keeping. The 32-year-old has not played for the Gunners since he had his armband stripped and his future at the club has come under serious threat in recent weeks.
With very little significant interest in a player past his prime and with behavioural issues, it looks like Aubameyang could well face the same fate as Mesut Ozil, who also trained alone, following a dispute with Arteta during lockdown.
Aubameyang may leave at the end of the season if a deal cannot be found before then – but until then, he likely to be around the training complex, even if he isn’t involved with first-team training.