The Premier League is all set to return on the 17th of June post the coronavirus-enforced break and the focus will remain on the traditional top six clubs. As it stands, it’s a matter of time before Liverpool win their first league title in over three decades.
The Reds are followed by Manchester City and Leicester City on the league table, while Chelsea and Manchester United are placed at fourth and fifth positions respectively. However, the north London clubs – Tottenham Hotspurs and Arsenal find themselves further down the table at eighth and ninth spots respectively.
It has been a subpar season for the Gunners, who appointed former player Mikel Arteta as their new head coach in December last year, following the sacking of Unai Emery. Besides their underwhelming performances in the Premier League, Arsenal have also been knocked out of the Europa League, with the FA Cup being the only hope of silverware at the Emirates this season.
Despite Arsenal’s lacklustre displays in the present campaign, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been a shining light for the north London outfit, with the forward netting 20 goals in 32 appearances in all competitions. 17 of those strikes have come in the Premier League and the Gabon international is only two goals behind Jamie Vardy in the race for the Golden Boot.
Aubameyang, whose present contract with Arsenal ends in the summer of 2021, is yet to sign a new deal and has been linked with a move away from the Emirates at the end of the season, with the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain credited with showing interest in him.
Without further ado, let’s discuss whether Aubamyeang should stay put at Arsenal beyond the season or leave the Gunners.
Aubameyang’s record at Arsenal
Since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang moved to Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund in the 2018 January transfer window, he has scored 49 Premier League goals. Only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has scored more goals (50) in the English top-flight in the same time-frame. Last season, the 30-year-old scored 22 Premier League goals and shared the Golden Boot with the Liverpool duo of Salah and Sadio Mane.
Even in the ongoing season, Aubameyang has scored 17 Premier League goals and is only behind Jamie Vardy in the division’s top goalscorers’ list. In total, he has netted 61 times in 97 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal, in addition to providing 13 assists.
All these stats clearly indicate that Aubameyang is one of the most lethal strikers in the world at the moment.
Deserves Champions League football and silverware
Arsenal are currently ninth on the Premier League table and it will be considered a miracle if they somehow finish in the top four to qualify for the Champions League next season. The Gunners haven’t featured in the premium continental competition since the 2016-17 campaign and the scenario is unlikely to change next season.
Moreover, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is yet to win a trophy with Arsenal, who are miles behind the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City to compete for the Premier League title anytime soon. As a result, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if the Gabonese wants to secure a move away from the club to play in the Champions League and compete for other trophies.
Will Arsenal risk losing the striker for free?
As mentioned earlier, Aubameyang’s contract with Arsenal will expire at the end of the 2021 season, with the forward yet to sign a new deal with the north London club. If Arsenal doesn’t sell Aubameyang in the upcoming transfer window, they risk losing him on a free transfer next year.
Arsenal have a habit of treading down that dangerous path as they lost Aaron Ramsey for zilch last summer; the midfielder joined Juventus as a free agent upon the expiration of his contract with the Emirates outfit. Mikel Arteta and company should make sure Aubameyang doesn’t follow in the footsteps of the Welshman.
Verdict
Aubameyang, who will turn 31 this month, isn’t getting any younger. The former Dortmund man is in his prime and hungry for success. With Arsenal looking unlikely to challenge for major honours anytime soon, it’s better if Aubameyang moves elsewhere to try and win a few winners’ medals.
However, it’s safe to say that Arsenal won’t let him leave for cheap at the end of the season. Most clubs around the world have financial constraints, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it remains to be seen if Aubameyang’s potential suitors actually have the money to lure him away from the Emirates.