Arsenal sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund [Update Post #19]

[UN talkz]

Arsenal have had a club record £55.4 million (63 million euros) offer agreed by Borussia Dortmund for striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who also stands to become the highest paid player in the club’s history.

After a week of negotiations, Arsenal have increased from an initial £44 million (55 million euros) bid to meet Dortmund’s asking price but the Bundesliga club still want to source a replacement before signing off and announcing the deal.

Olivier Giroud is among the options for Dortmund and separate talks are now ongoing with Arsenal today about a deal for the France striker. Arsenal are open to both a loan or a permanent transfer and there is also interest in Giroud from Chelsea.

A contract worth £180,000-a-week until 2021 has been offered to Aubameyang, who wants to join Arsenal where he will link up with former Dortmund colleague Henrikh Mkhitaryan following his arrival earlier this month in exchange for Alexis Sanchez.


Giroud could also leave the Emirates for Dortmund or Chelsea CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES
With Arsenal also selling Theo Walcott and Giroud now likely to leave, Arsene Wenger wanted only a player who would immediately improve his starting team and Aubameyang has established himself as one of the most prolific strikers in any European league.

He has scored 141 goals in four-and-a-half seasons for Dortmund. Arsenal sent a delegation headed by chief executive Ivan Gazidis that also included new head of recruitment Sven Mislintat and contract negotiator Huss Fahmy to Dortmund for negotiations last week.


Mislintat was also instrumental in bringing both Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan to Dortmund and the signings will be interpreted as an immediate sign of his impact and influence.

Arsenal have also been interested in defender Jonny Evans, but a deal is now more likely in the summer when his contract will have only one year remaining and West Brom will have to lower the current £20 million asking price. The Aubameyang and Evans deals are not both considered financially sensible this month. Arsenal are also still trying to persuade both Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere to extend contracts that expire this summer.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football...emerick-aubameyang-transfer-club-record-554m/

 

[Slog]

Auba is on a different level to Lacazette and they cost almost same?

 

[carbon11]

Don't understand why they wanna get rid of giroud , he's a good player

 

[DeadBall]

Used to follow football religiously before but since I started watching cricket regularly it takes so much of my time that I can't really be bothered with any other sport. Just the highlights of the best sporting moments here and there.

 

[Hasan123]

Brilliant signining. A world class player who will replace Sanchezs goals and also send a message to other top players that Arsenal can still attract top players. In this market he's a steal for that price. Mkh,Auba,Laca,Ozil, and Wilshere will make Arsenal more exciting to watch. In recent years we have become boring to watch but with these signings I'm excited for the future. Hope in the summer we can add a CB,GK,and DM .

 

[waleed88]

Can he play on the left wing? I think he sounds more like a false 9 like Sanchez then an out an out striker like Lacazette

 

[UN talkz]

Arsenal's £60m move for Borussia Dortmund forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hinges on two more transfers being agreed.

And Gunners striker Olivier Giroud may have the biggest say in whether the deal is completed before Wednesday's 23:00 GMT deadline.

Arsenal have agreed a fee with Dortmund and personal terms with Gabon international Aubameyang, 28, but the German club will only sanction the move if they get a replacement.

BBC Sport's David Ornstein guides us through the complicated Aubameyang transfer merry-go-round...

Option one - the straight swap

Giroud was lined up as part of the deal to replace Aubameyang at Dortmund.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is fond of Giroud, but the 31-year-old France striker has been told he will not get the game time he needs before this summer's World Cup in Russia.

But Chelsea, in the market for a tall target man, make an offer to Giroud, who would prefer to stay in London. So...

Option two - the three-way deal

Dortmund turn their attention to Blues striker Michy Batshuayi, who is allowed to leave - on loan - in January. The 24-year-old Belgium international is keen.

A seemingly simple solution presents itself: Aubameyang to Arsenal, Giroud to Chelsea and Batshuayi to Dortmund.

However, Chelsea are not keen to pay Arsenal's asking price for Giroud - a reported £30m-£35m. So...

Option three - enter Llorente

Exploring other options, Chelsea then hold talks with Tottenham to swap Batshuayi for Spanish forward Fernando Llorente, 32.

The Blues prefer a loan, Spurs are keen on a permanent deal - but Batshuayi rejects the move anyway because he wants to be a first-choice striker, not go from being behind Alvaro Morata at Stamford Bridge to being back-up for Harry Kane at Tottenham. So...

Option four... back to option one

We're back where we started - Aubameyang to Arsenal, Batshuayi to Dortmund and Giroud moves to Chelsea to complete the equation.

But will Arsenal reach an agreement with Chelsea?

If not, will Chelsea find an alternative to replace Batshuayi?

If not, and Batshuayi stays, will Dortmund find another striker to replace Aubameyang? The Bundesliga side have previously said he will not be allowed to leave without an alternative in place.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/42867981

 

[barah_admi]

Aubemayang entering the side would have been exciting a year ago, but now wth Sanchez gone (for next to nothing), with wenger trying to get rid of Giroud and languishing at 6th, it is all a little too late. PLus Aubemayang has spent more time being scolded for off field antics than on field success. Is he teh same player from a year ago? I don't think so.

I want to be optimistic but Arsenal have lost too much to gain just one player.

 

[shaz619]

Will he make a big difference to your fortunes [MENTION=141114]Hasan123[/MENTION]

 

[WC-Passion]

Auba is on a different level to Lacazette and they cost almost same?

Auba has been asking for a transfer for a long time now and has had a lot of discplinary issues (not turning up to training, being late and leaving the country without notice) which means Dortmund are fed up and want to sell. He's also around 28 years old, so two years older than Lacazette is. All these factors make the transfer fee what it is.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

Brilliant signining. A world class player who will replace Sanchezs goals and also send a message to other top players that Arsenal can still attract top players. In this market he's a steal for that price. Mkh,Auba,Laca,Ozil, and Wilshere will make Arsenal more exciting to watch. In recent years we have become boring to watch but with these signings I'm excited for the future. Hope in the summer we can add a CB,GK,and DM .

Do you think you guys will manage to keep hold of Ozil and Wilshere? Seems crazy that so many key players are allowed to run down their contracts like this at Arsenal.

 

[Slog]

Brilliant signining. A world class player who will replace Sanchezs goals and also send a message to other top players that Arsenal can still attract top players. In this market he's a steal for that price. Mkh,Auba,Laca,Ozil, and Wilshere will make Arsenal more exciting to watch. In recent years we have become boring to watch but with these signings I'm excited for the future. Hope in the summer we can add a CB,GK,and DM .

Arsenal should never have let Szcezny go

 

[Mamoon]

Wenger can buy a duck and it will drown. PEA will replace Sanchez’s goals but the fundamental problems at the club will stay put.

New signings do not excite me anymore. I am simply waiting for the Wenger era to end.

 

[Mamoon]

Arsenal should never have let Szcezny go

He was not on good terms with Wenger.

 

[Slog]

He was not on good terms with Wenger.

really? surprising coz certainly doesnt look it on social media.

he's a huge arsenal fan like wilshere. i thought he left cuz of game time

 

[London_Lahori]

What's the point when what they need is 2 CB's, 2 CM's and a RB because Bellerin is more interested in what he wears to fashion week.

Finished FC.

 

[Mamoon]

really? surprising coz certainly doesnt look it on social media.

he's a huge arsenal fan like wilshere. i thought he left cuz of game time

Wenger questioned his work ethic and his dad publicly slated Wenger for scapegoating him. It was Wenger's loss ultimately. He was no de Gea or Courtois, but any young goalkeeper better than Szczesny is going to cost a fortune now.

 

[sadida97]

Wenger questioned his work ethic and his dad publicly slated Wenger for scapegoating him. It was Wenger's loss ultimately. He was no de Gea or Courtois, but any young goalkeeper better than Szczesny is going to cost a fortune now.

who would you chose between de gea and courtois ?

 

[Gabbar Singh]

Arsenal have signed Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund for a club record £56m.

The Gunners had two bids for Aubameyang rejected by Dortmund before agreeing a fee that eclipses the £46.5m they paid for Alexandre Lacazette in July.

Arsenal said the 28-year-old - the 2015 African Footballer of the Year - had joined on "a long-term contract".

Dortmund agreed to the sale after striking a deal to sign Chelsea forward Michy Batshuayi on loan.

Aubameyang said: "I'm really happy to be here in this great team.

"The club has such a big history and great players like Thierry Henry. He's an example for us strikers. I'm a fast player and I score goals too, like Henry a little bit. I think I have to work a lot to be like him, but I will do.

"I hope that we will come back to the top as soon as possible. I will do my best to join in."

Aubameyang scored 141 goals in 213 games for Dortmund, including 21 in 24 matches this season.

But he was suspended by the German club for their match against Wolfsburg on 14 January for missing a team meeting.

The forward was also left out of the squad for their next game game at Hertha Berlin because club officials felt he was not focused enough, but he played 90 minutes in Sunday's 2-2 draw with Freiburg.

After his move to Arsenal was confirmed, Aubameyang called himself "a crazy kid" in a message to Dortmund fans posted on Instagram, also apologising for the manner of his departure.

"First of all, sorry for everything that has happened in the last month, but I already wanted a transfer last summer, it did not work out, but now it had to be," he said.

"Maybe it was not the best way for me to choose, but everyone knows that Auba is crazy - and yes, I am a crazy kid.

"I've made mistakes, but never with malice."

Aubameyang - who will wear the number 14 shirt at Arsenal - joined Dortmund from French club Saint-Etienne in 2013.

The only major trophy he won at Dortmund was the German Cup in 2017.

He was named Bundesliga player of the year in 2016, and last season was the German top flight's most prolific scorer with 31 goals.

He has played 56 times for Gabon, scoring 23 goals.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42859716


Great signing for Arsenal. If they keep hold of Ozil and then strengthen the spine of the side (central midfield and central defence) in the summer things will be looking good for next season. Lots of ‘ifs’ though.

 

[Abdullah719]

Great signing for Arsenal. If they keep hold of Ozil and then strengthen the spine of the side (central midfield and central defence) in the summer things will be looking good for next season. Lots of ‘ifs’ though.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">EXCLUSIVE: Mesut Ozil signs a new three-and-a-half year contract to remain at Arsenal until summer 2021. Becomes highest-paid player in club history on around £350k per week before tax. Deal agreed last weekend, signed at Colney this morning. Could take him to 8yrs at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AFC</a> & 32yo <a href="https://t.co/600XtVnbnH">pic.twitter.com/600XtVnbnH</a></p>— David Ornstein (@bbcsport_david) <a href="https://twitter.com/bbcsport_david/status/958674358091894784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Saj]

Good signing, Arsenal just need 2 centre-halves now and a holding midfielder.

 

[Hasan123]

Will he make a big difference to your fortunes [MENTION=141114]Hasan123[/MENTION]

Need a defender and cdm. Also need a new manager. He will make us better to watch.

 

[Hasan123]

Do you think you guys will manage to keep hold of Ozil and Wilshere? Seems crazy that so many key players are allowed to run down their contracts like this at Arsenal.

I'm surprised Ozil has stayed tbh. Thought he would have had enough of not competing. Jack will stay but if he leaves it won't be a big loss.

 

[Hasan123]

Arsenal should never have let Szcezny go

Yes we shouldn't have . He had an issue with the goal keeper coach at arsenal as well. Wenger lost confidence in him as well.