Arsenal receive serious Aubameyang transfer bid from Al Nassr

There is no doubting that the January transfer window is in full swing. One of the main topics of debate for Arsenal this month has been the future of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and they’ve been handed an escape route.

Working tirelessly to thrash out a deal for Fiorentina’s Dusan Vlahovic, the Gunners have yet to make inroads in their efforts with the striker preferring to see the season out and evaluate his options in the summer.

Should they be able to overcome that hurdle they might then be able to secure their man.

But lurking in the background is Aubameyang, who was stripped of the captaincy back in December over repeated disciplinary breaches, and is yet to play a minute for the club since.

Arsenal receive permanent Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang transfer bid from Saudi giants Al Nassr who want loan deal with £6.6m obligation to buy

Back at London Colney for health checkups after heart lesions were found during a medical scan with Gabon, the club have something else to mull over in January.

As per CBS Sport’s James Benge, Saudi giants Al Nassr have tabled a loan bid for the former skipper, one that includes an obligation to buy for €8m (£6.6m) in the summer, effectively rendering it a permanent move. Arsenal are yet to respond to the offer, but it provides them with a legitimate option to move the 32-year-old on 18 months ahead of his contract expiring.

The offer may seem measly for a player who became the club’s record ever signing in the winter of 2018, but more importantly it will get his £250k-per-week salary off the books and free up vital space in the wage budget for a new arrival.

It’s no secret that Arsenal are open to offers in January with a route back into the side for Aubameyang looking bleaker by the day, especially with the form and consistency found in the side with Alexandre Lacazette at the focal point of attack.

The question is: how much is enough?

€8m is not a huge amount for a striker of Aubameyang’s calibre, despite his age and poor form, yet getting that salary off the books this month will be another huge step towards the rebuild being undertaken. If he weren’t to leave in this window then a summer move is surely on the cards.

As for the player, he may feel there is more to come from him on the biggest stages in Europe. A move to the Saudi Arabian league might not appeal for those very reasons.

This is, however, the most concrete destination so far for Aubameyang to be sold this month. It might be hard to turn it down, even if no replacement can be secured in January.