Arsenal: 3 reasons Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leaving for nothing can be good

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could stay at Arsenal and leave for nothing next summer. Here are three reasons why that would not be as disastrous as it sounds.

Arsenal have a big decision to make regarding the future of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. There are three solutions to the problem: sell him this summer, re-sign him to a bumper new deal, or keep him for another year and let him leave for nothing next summer when his current contract expires. None of them are ideal, but the Gunners must commit to one.

So, here are three reasons why keeping Aubameyang for another year and then letting him walk out for nothing is not as disastrous as it sounds.

3. How much can you get for him?

In normal circumstances, the best route for Arsenal would be to sell Aubameyang for massive profit and reinvest in other areas of the squad as they conduct another rebuild as head coach Mikel Arteta sees fit. Aubameyang will not be a long-term part of Arteta’s plans, so offloading him as an asset is where he is most valuable.

However, in the current climate, how much will Aubameyang actually fetch in what is set to be a massively subdued market? The nine-figure fees of previous transfer windows are long gone. Many clubs are financially on their knees. Even the bigger clubs around the world must curtail their spending amid reduced revenues.

In this market, Aubameyang might not top £30 million. Any potential buyer know that his wages will not be cheap, he is already in his thirties, and there will be no re-sale value down the line. For all of his goalscoring exploits, how much is that player actually worth? There comes a point where Arsenal are better off just keeping him.