It’s hard not to feel for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.The striker has been excellent since joining Arsenal in 2017, scoring 61 goals in 97 appearances for the club.But everything around Aubameyang has been a mess.The Gabon international has already played under three different managers and hasn’t experienced Champions League football at the Emirates Stadium.Aubameyang is 31 now and what’s left of his peak years are being spent at a club unable to challenge for major trophies.He was ineffective in the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, although a video shows that it wasn’t entirely his fault.The video, which features analysis from Ian Wright, highlights two moments in which Aubameyang tried to get in behind City’s defence but on both occasions, his teammates failed to play the pass to him.
How frustrating.
You can even see from his reaction that Aubameyang wasn’t happy with the lack of service.
Aubameyang’s future has been the subject of much discussion.
He has just a year left on his contract and while Arsenal won’t want him to leave, it’s obvious that he belongs at a more competitive club.
The Gunners have been advised to offer the Gabon international a performance-based contract whereby his wages are reflective of his individual displays.
That’s the advice of former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan, who believes Arsenal are only looking to extend Aubameyang’s deal for short-term success.
“If he signs another two or three-year contract, they won’t be signing a player to not only achieve things in the short-term but also make some money off when they come to sell him further down the line, they’d be simply be saying ‘we pay money now to get some short-term success, because that’s what Mikel Arteta needs’,†Jordan told talkSPORT.
“I would be saying to Aubameyang: ‘You want £250,000 a week? I tell you what, I’ll give you £300,000 a week if you score X amount of goals’.
"Let’s make this about you, let’s make it about your achievement, let’s make it about your individual return’.â€