Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is undergoing medical tests in London as Arsenal try to get to the bottom of the Covid-related health scare that saw Gabon send the player back to London.
The striker joined up with his country in early January for a pre-AFCON training camp in Dubai but was forced to self-isolate on his arrival in host country Cameroon when he tested positive for the virus.
Having missed Gabon’s opening game with Comoros, he was set to feature in their second outing against Ghana before being pulled from the squad at late notice after scans highlighted what was vaguely termed ‘heart lesions’.
Head coach Patrice Neveu claimed the striker had subsequently been recalled by Arsenal while the player himself had to dismiss rumours that his exit was linked to a disciplinary matter. Even without Aubameyang, Gabon sealed safe passage to the knockout stages last night with a 2-2 draw against Morocco.
Facing the press ahead of Thursday’s Carabao Cup semi-final second leg with Liverpool, Arteta was pressed for an update on a confusing state of affairs.
He said: “He’s in London and now he’s going through some examinations because we haven’t had any clarity from the Gabon national team about the reasons why he came back.
“Obviously, it’s our obligation to make sure that medically the player is safe, in good condition and that they are not any issues related to that. We want to try to avoid any suggestion that that’s the case because so far, historically, everything we’ve done with the player he’s not had that issue. Hopefully, that’s the case.”
Asked if Aubameyang could return to Cameroon to take part in Sunday’s last 16 clash with Burkina Faso, Arteta added: “The situation that we have is that he contracted Covid and then the national team decided to bring him back here.
“This is where we are. Let’s go step by step, again, do the right examinations and make sure the player’s health is in the best possible condition and then we’ll see what happens.”
Exclusive: Saudi giants Al Nassr make loan offer to Arsenal for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with mandatory €8 million purchase clause. Gunners still mulling offer. https://t.co/5kCdpaDOBu
— James Benge (@jamesbenge) January 19, 2022
As if a Covid scare wasn’t enough, Aubameyang has also been in the headlines for losing the Arsenal captaincy and there remain suggestions his future at the club could be brought to a premature and ignominious end.
Journalist James Benge, reporting for CBS Sports, claims Saudi club Al Nassr have asked whether they can take the attacker on loan until the end of the season with a view to buying the player in the summer for €8 million.
Take that Saudi money and run!
Need a replacement first I guess……although, yes, agree !
Maybe this is why things are dragging with Vlahovic… we need to know if Auba is prepared to move to Saudi as that will free up wages.
It’s not. Vhlahovic is the reason things are dragging with Vhahovic.
Vlahovic is a dead end.
Vlahovic isn’t coming. His heart is set on Juventus and staying in Serie A.
We shouldn’t go after players who don’t want to wear our shirt anyway
Oil be sad to see Auba leave.
To be fair who wants to go to Saudi 🤔
Cheap petrol, gotta think of these things when you’ve 6 chrome lamborghini’s to run
Dont think they are quite so excptional on the boulavards of Jeddah thougg
Newcastle?
They tried to make him go to Riyadh and he said…..
Accept, accept, accept. Sadly we’re now at the point where an end is best for all concerned. But it ultimately comes down to the player and where he wants to go and, if Saudi doesn’t interest him, then we’re all stuck until somewhere else does.
Lol…has to be like a hundred on your poometer scale 😂…too good to be true… cash plus more than 20m saved in wages? That’s a no brainer..
We don’t know if they are willing to pay his full packet. But still 8m loan fee has to be up there in the records?
It’s not a loan fee though. Sounds like a mandatory purchase clause when he completes his loan. If true, I’m sure the deal would involve us paying some of his wages until end of next season when his contract was up for us.
8M even in his current form, that feels proper lowball.
He’s 32, has been stripped of the captaincy, has had numerous disciplinary issues, hasn’t been in form. I’d say it’s a decent offer: we’ll get around £7m to spend on a new player, wages to offer to said new player… and a new player!
When a 30 year old Chris wood is going for £25m then surely, surely a great player such as Aubameyang is worth at least that. Surely? Don’t call me Shirley!!
Anyone willing to pay his fees is decent
To be fair to the club, they really are proactively clearing the decks. I know people have been flippant about their methods (i.e. paying players off) but it’s the quickest way to do it and they should be given some credit for authorising these movements. If you compare us to United, for example.. We are quickly turning a corner and building a team we can get behind. Whereas, United keep kicking the can down the road, dithering, and changing managers believing the players they have are good enough. That’s not to say I’m a big fan of the board, at… Read more »
On the United thing, it’s them living off past glories & refusing to admit they’ve got problems because of how much they rake in. They’re probably more of a mess under Rangnick then they were Ole. Rashford hates his manager, Ronaldo hates his team mates & Martial hates Manchester. Long may it continue!
I agree with this. People can complain about how it’s been/being done but not the fact that it is being done. If you look back at the sheer volume of player movement – both outgoing and incoming – over the last season and a half or so, it’s staggering really. I can’t remember another club having done that sort of thing so quickly. As you say they’ve significantly compressed the timeline and we’re in a good place now to continue to build up the squad properly.
It’s so true, what are they even doing with Martial? Acting swiftly and cutting your losses, while not always the ideal outcome, is a sign of a decisive management team. Streamline the squad at all costs and bring in young quality in every position. We’re on the right track.
Please accept the offer. Its 1000% better than mutual agreement termination.
Would love to see it happen and wish him the best but can only see this offer being accepted by Arsenal but not Auba. Can see Auba accepting an offer from even the MLS but Saudi may not interest him at all. It’s a dire place to be for an outgoing person like him and it’s not like they can offer him a wage much higher than the astronomical wage he already earns at Arsenal.
Besides who knows, maybe he still has some actual footballing ambitions
Are Saudi clubs poor?
No, they’ve got oil money.
Well, I mean, even if they offer him any money resembling the money we’re giving him now, on a 3-4 year contract for example, he might as well strip himself butt-nekked and jump into a pond for a bit of a swim, cause he’s one lucky duck…
Not like anyone in Europe would offer him anything remotely close to what he’s earning here once his contract with us runs out, and also, he might enjoy being the main man and star of the project back again somewhere else.
Slightly off topic but the 2-2 draw with Morocco was a great game. Gabon doing a fair impression of Brazil in both kit & some of their play. Highlights are definitely worth a watch.
8 million is a bloody joke.
He’s in London and now he’s going through some examinations because we haven’t had any clarity from the Gabon national team about the reasons why he came back.
… Strage!