Arsenal: Is there a way back for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang?

For some fans, the flat answer is no. For others, they believe that if Granit Xhaka can turn it around at Arsenal after his shirt-throwing incident in the Unai Emery days, then certainly Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang can too. But the question is, should he?

Being a club captain brings a set of responsibilities. Present yourself in the right way, be a leader and mentor for the younger players, and lead by example on the field. Aubameyang hasn’t been a glowing example of that over the last six months.

While there have been a fair few supporters essentially ridding Aubameyang from the Arsenal fold, it is important to remember what he has done for the club. He single-handedly pushed the side to FA Cup glory in 2020. Not to mention the outstanding number of Premier League goals he has produced in an Arsenal shirt.

However, as the saying goes, tolerance goes along with production. If a player is not the most professional off the field, yet produces come game time, then the higher the tolerance. But if a player’s production is not up to standard, similar to Aubameyang this season, then the tolerance for his antics is extremely low – even if Arteta denied this.

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For a player to be stripped of the captaincy there must be serious issues, and with Aubameyang, there are a couple. First, he was dropped before the North London Derby as he breached pre-match protocol and then, according to several reports, Aubameyang and the club agreed on a time that he would return after visiting his mother in France only to fly back a day later. This complicated matter as the COVID requirements made the skipper miss a training session, and given the current climate with such issues, you can understand the anger.

That is unacceptable, and these are just the incidents he was punished publicly for.

What is further complicating matters is that Arsenal looks a far better team when Aubameyang is not in the side. Add in the excellent resurgence of both Alexandre Lacazette and Gabriel Martinelli and suddenly, there isn’t even a spot for Aubameyang even if he was available for selection.

The other worrying aspect is his contract. His current deal ties him to the club until 2023. Given his huge £350k-per-week with bonuses wages, it is nearly impossible for another team to take the chance on him.

That begs the question, what does Arsenal do with him? The club does not want another Mesut Ozil situation. On his day, Aubameyang is world-class, but his days are now few and far between. Add in the youthful exuberance of the current Arsenal squad and you could argue that the way back for Aubameyang is nearly unfathomable.

Fans aren’t due to see him until he returns from the Africa Cup of Nations and even then, depending on how the team is traveling, a return might not be possible. A lot will also depend on what the 32-year-old’s mindset is when he comes back: will he want to work hard and try and get back the respect of the playing group, or will he sulk and fade into the background?

While he isn’t going to be starting in this team even if fit, the club can ill afford to be saddled with his astronomical salary while he sits on the peripheries watching the world go by.

It is a sticky situation but one that the club can get through if handled correctly. With the likes of Martinelli, Saka, Smith Rowe, Martin Odegaard, and Lacazette all doing their part in attack and with Arsenal’s defense looking stronger by the game, they have not missed Aubameyang’s absence one bit.

But bravo for Mikel Arteta for taking such a stance. In the last days of Arsene Wenger, this type of thing would have been allowed to slide. Not with the Spaniard. It is refreshing to see that it doesn’t matter who you are, if the guidelines and rules are not followed, you will not play.

Just exactly what Arteta and the club do with Aubameyang going forward will be interesting to see, but if the Gabon international is not in the right mind frame to come back, then we could have seen the last of Aubameyang for at least the next few months.

For a player that gave so much to the club and produced several memorable moments, his Arsenal career is on the verge of being tossed by the wayside.