Arsenal offered Aubameyang transfer lifeline by Barcelona

Watching Arsenal field the same starting lineup for four consecutive Premier League matches with the latter two of those outings being the some of the best seen under the manager, focus isn’t centred on who isn’t playing.

Gabriel Martinelli, a 20-year-old, is doing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang things better than Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang does Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang things. Nobody has time to even mention the former captain‘s name.

Exceptional young talent is grabbing the headlines for all the right reasons ahead of the Carabap Cup quarter-final clash with Sunderland, although this particular subplot can only stay buried underneath for so long.

Supporters aren’t expected to see Aubameyang in any training photos until after the Africa Cup of Nations, with the same applying to his teammates. Working on his fitness alone at London Colney after the latest of his disciplinary breaches prompted him being stripped of the captaincy, it’s a very sour situation for a player known for his beaming smile.

Arsenal offered Aubameyang transfer lifeline by Barcelona as Xavi eyes forward reinforcements with Man City’s Ferran Torres also targetted

With individuals performing as they are in his stead, regardless of the emotional hurdles to overcome if he was to return to the team, there are now questions of quality he looks unlikely to scale.

Given the mountainous task in front of him, talk of a January move away has naturally occurred. The usual suspects have been mentioned, with one of them being confirmed as an interested party by Sami Mokbel. It’s only interest for now, so how far Arsenal are willing to bend to suit the Spanish side’s desires is down to them.

Barcelona recently bid farewell to Sergio Aguero after his health-related retirement, just six months after he signed for the club. They are in the market for two new forwards, with the ridiculous signing of Luuk De Jong doing precious little to help their plight, and while Manchester City’s Ferran Torres is high on their list, he will cost around £50m.

Aubameyang, meanwhile, would require a far lower initial outlay, especially as Barcelona would prefer to take him to Camp Nou on a loan deal. There is no mention of whether the deal would be with an option to buy.

The sticking point that will be the same sticking point for every side showing an interest in Aubameyang: the substantial wage packet he earns at Arsenal. All in it totals around £350k-per-week, which for a club like Barcelona with no money, will be tough to navigate around.

A loan, however, one where Barça share some of the load along with Arsenal, is probably the most likely outcome if he is to leave in the winter. It’s already been reported that he doesn’t intend on taking a pay cut, and if Arsenal can get some of his wages subsidised they might favour the idea over him sitting on the bench all season and hanging around the training ground.

Then again, it’s not like Aubameyang has no quality. The season is long and what would happen if Alexandre Lacazette were to get injured?

Arteta and co have plenty to ponder. One thing that we can be fairly certain on, though, is that nobody is going to rock up with a permanent deal on the table. This could be the lifeline they’re after, even if the situation they find themselves in has meant any lifeline comes with the threat of breaking mid-haul.