Arsenal striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang might end up at Newcastle United amid his ongoing punishment at the hands of coach Mikel Arteta.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been the most important player at Arsenal in the last three seasons but things have been difficult for him under coach Mikel Arteta so far this season.
His woes got worsened when he was permitted to travel to France to collect his mother and spent more days than permitted before he returned. Due to that, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed the club training and a planned coronavirus routine test.
Hence, coach Mikel Arteta decided to sideline the 32-year-old Gabonese striker. Aubameyang was not only sidelined, but the club also had to strip him of the captaincy for disciplinary breaches.
Since then, the Gabon international has not been named in coach Arteta’s squad. A few days before Christmas, Aubameyang took to Instagram to share a picture of his family with a caption that looked like an attack on Arsenal. In the caption, the Gabonese striker wrote family first.
Though Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang still has until June 30, 2023, before his contract with Arsenal expires, there are reports that his days at the club are numbered.
Since the back and forth between him and Arsenal started, there has been strong speculation that Italian Serie A giants are interested in his services.
However, a report by Daily Mail claimed that Newcastle United are seeking to acquire the services of the Gabonese star on loan during the January transfer window. They believe that Aubameyang could help them to avoid relegation.
As at last check, Newcastle United are sitting on the 19th spot on the league table with 11 points in 19 games, 2 points away from safety.
According to reports in England, Newcastle United planned to buy Aubameyang permanently for £20 million after the proposed loan spell but it is almost impossible that Gabon’s national team captain would want to be involved in a relegation battle at Newcastle.
As it has been throughout December, Aubameyang was not a part of the Arsenal squad that lost 2-1 to Manchester City on Saturday, January 1, 2022.
Coach Mikel Arteta confirmed via Arsenal’s website that Aubameyang has traveled to Gabon to commence preparation for the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) which will kick off on January 9 in Cameroon. His country will play their first game in the tournament against Comoros on January 10.
“At the moment he [Aubameyang] has gone [to AFCON]”, coach Arteta said.
“He needs to focus on the national team, and we had the conversation that was the best possible way to do it.
“I said before, we will address (his situation) game-by-game.”
