Arsenal reportedly braced for bid from Barcelona before Friday’s transfer deadline

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal are braced for an approach from Barcelona for striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang before Friday’s transfer deadline, according to the Telegraph.

They report that the Spanish giants have made Aubameyang their top target to replace the injured Luis Suarez before the window slams shut.

The report says that Aubameyang is expected to leave north London in the summer if Arsenal fail to qualify for the Champions League.

But Barcelona fear being priced out of a deal this month, with Arsenal apparently set to demand over £50 million for a player who is 30 and has less than 18 months left on his current Gunners contract.

TBR’s View – Arsenal may have to plan for life without Aubameyang but the timing isn’t right now

Right now, Mikel Arteta is throwing everything at it to try and get Arsenal into the top four this season and given the form of the teams around them, that could still happen.

That means that selling his top striker with just days of the window remaining while Alexandre Lacazette remains off form would represent awful timing.

But most realistic Arsenal fans will know that – as good as Aubameyang is – their club will have to soon plan for life without their top hitman. He isn’t getting any younger and belongs in the Champions League.

Perhaps that will come in the summer, when Aubameyang will have a year left on his contract. If Arsenal haven’t made it into the Champions League, the report suggests he will go.

How much Arsenal would be able to get for the striker in that event remains to be seen. But Arsenal cannot expect Arteta to move the club forward if they sell his best source of goals late on in the window with no plan to replace him.