Arsenal: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Wilfried Zaha? Errr…

Arsenal could sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for roughly the same price as they could sign Wilfried Zaha for. Is a ‘straight swap’ worth it? My answer: errr…

I have been quite vocal at my support of the idea of potentially selling Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. I have also been very positive about the potential signing of Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, even if his £80 million price tag is a little difficult to swallow.

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When you put the two together, there is the obvious potential for a ‘straight swap’, selling Aubameyang, likely to China, and signing Zaha for what would likely be a comparable fee and wage structure. So, I ask a very simple question: Would you like Arsenal to sell Aubameyang to almost directly fund a move for Zaha?

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And before you say this is completely ridiculous, there is no point in even debating it, per the latest report from David Ornstein, who is exceptionally well connected at the Emirates, Arsenal are interested in Zaha, Zaha is desperate to leave Palace this summer and is interested in a north London move, and there are hesitant discussions regarding the possibility of selling Aubameyang to fund a Zaha transfer.

Given what I have said individually about these two players, I expected myself to be very on board with this kind of ground-shaking move. However, when you offer me a straight swap of Zaha for Aubameyang, there is something that does not quite sit right. And I don’t know if I can say why. It just does not feel quite right.

Perhaps it is because Aubameyang is a bonafide star and Zaha is more potential than production at the point. Perhaps it is because Aubameyang has years worth of evidence that prove that he is one of the best goalscorers in the world and Zaha is slightly inconsistent over an extended period. Or maybe it is just that Palace are clearly ramping up the price because he is English and they do not want to sell him and Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the same window.

That said, thinking about this logically, there is a lot to like about this move. This is the last summer that Arsenal will be able to recoup serious value for Aubameyang — he has two years remaining on his contract and is now 30. Zaha plays a more impactful position given the alternative options in the squad. The Palace winger is still only 26, can still improve, and also represents a much wiser financial investment.

And so, my answer to whether I would do what is essentially a straight swap between Aubameyang and Zaha? Errr… I’m not really sure I want to answer.

Thankfully it is not me making these decisions. That will be up to Emery, Raul Sanllehi and the management at the club. This really is transfer squeaky bum time.