Transfer thriller in Barcelona
Aubameyang comes and at first nobody is there
1/31/2022, 7:54 p.m
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a great footballer – and a big earner: FC Barcelona wants one thing, but he can’t afford the other. And so a stalemate develops around the former Borussia Dortmund striker.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wants to join FC Barcelona very quickly, FC Barcelona wants to sign the striker very quickly, at least on loan. The absurdly indebted big club cannot afford a transfer. And because the Catalans can’t afford the Gabonese’s horrendous salary (rumoured 420,000 euros per week), the transfer is still pending – and the attacker in the air. The situation is curious, because Aubameyang obviously thought that everything was already largely settled between FC Barcelona and his still-club Arsenal London.
And so Aubameyang made his way to Barcelona in the morning to wrap things up. But with his commitment, the former striker from Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund apparently surprised all other parties. So much so that the 32-year-old, who switched from BVB to London in 2018 for around 64 million euros, was not even received at El Prat de Llobregat Aeropuerto Airport, as “Sport” reports. No club representative from FC Barcelona appeared to pick up the supposed newcomer. According to Spanish sources, Aubameyang’s arrival was a complete surprise. Sky Sports reported something similar from England, the “Gunners” were very surprised about the trip, since an agreement between the two clubs was by no means imminent.
On the contrary: Several media, including the portal “The Athletic”, reported in the meantime that the deal had burst. While Arsenal, who are keen to get rid of Aubameyang but not at all costs, would like FC Barcelona to take over the majority of Aubameyang’s salary, the Spaniards appear to have other ideas. The attacker is therefore likely to remain at Arsenal unless he takes a drastic pay cut and Barcelona can find the money to fulfill the loan deal.
But then it came, the turning point: “We would like to sign Aubameyang. It’s very complicated, but there is hope,” said Barcelona President Joan Laporta in the evening in an interview with the newspaper “Mundo Deportivo”. And added to Spanish reporters: “We still have options open. We are working on it – and we will until the last minute.” In Spain, the transfer window closes at midnight. So it could be a long evening, with tremors until the last second. After all: Aubameyang is already there. And waits. The last signal gave cause for great hope: It looks as if the thriller could be brought to a good end, revealed Laporta again an hour later.
If the deal actually goes through, that would be very lucky for Aubameyang and a good exit strategy. Because at Arsenal they had taken the captain’s armband from him for disciplinary reasons, and he is crossed with coach Mikel Arteta. The 72-time national player recently had to leave the Africa Cup due to heart problems after a corona infection.