Arsenal: Like it or not, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should leave

The President of the Gabonese Football Association has urged Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to leave Arsenal due to the club’s lack of ambition. Like it or not, he is correct.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is one of the best goalscorers in his generation. He has been a premier attacker in world football throughout his career, and ever since he was moved centrally to replace Robert Lewandowksi at Borussia Dortmund, he has been outrageously prolific. Arsenal are extremely fortunate to have him.

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In fact, they are more than fortunate to have him. The club was only able to sign him because he fell out with management at Dortmund and the club has desperate to turf him out on the cheap and no other team was ready to invest in a premier option in the January transfer window.

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Since his arrival, they have not once played in the Champions League — and look set to fail in their qualifications attempts this year — and have made just one final, in which they were routinely dismantled 4-1 by Chelsea.

This consistent failure has led to some questioning as to why Aubameyang remains with the team, and given that he has consistently stalled negotiations regarding a new contract, there is reason to believe that he agrees with such doubts.  And now the most official individual has expressed his concerns with Aubameyang’s place in north London.

The president of the Gabonese Football Association, Pierre Alain Mounguengui, spoke to ESPN this week and urged Aubameyang to leave the Gunners in the summer for a more ambitious team:

"“Right now, he’s at Arsenal, and he’s won nothing here, so it’s a collective failing. I don’t want to say that Arsenal aren’t ambitious, but Arsenal don’t have ambitions as high as some other clubs as far as Europe is concerned. If Pierre could secure a contract with a more ambitious club, he’d definitely find his place there. All Gabonese people see Aubameyang at this level, where he can now end his career at a major club and, above all, beyond individual trophies, to bring home a major competition.”"

Typically, supporters have rallied against the claim. It is a rather direct and stark criticism of the club and the way that it has been managed during Aubameyang’s time there. Mounguengui did not hold back. However, his criticism is fair, and his advice for Aubameyang is wise. In fact, I would go as far as to say that I entirely agree with him. Aubameyang should leave.

He will turn 31 this summer. He is still at the peak of his powers but will not be for much longer. Realistically, this is the final opportunity he has to secure a move to a major team that is competing for the biggest titles and trophies. He has not played in the Champions League knockout stages for three years and is of a calibre that deserves to be competing in the best club competition in the world every year.

If Aubameyang wants to force an exit from Arsenal, I cannot blame him. Like it or not, that is precisely what he should be doing.