Football news, transfer rumours and gossip - Real Madrid, Barcelona or Chelsea next for Aubameyang?

Last weekend, Gabonese football association president Pierre Alain Mounguengui said that Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should consider his future at the club if he wanted to win something. He suggested that moving to a more ambitious side would help the 30-year-old forward add to his meagre honours list.

With a year left on his contract, Arsenal are in something of a bind. They can offer Aubameyang the wages his talent deserves, but that is fraught with risk. He will be 31 in June, and the club do not want to be stuck with another Mesut Ozil. They may not want to risk a huge financial outlay on a player whose body may start to give out at any moment. Given the importance of pace to his game, the risk is that his potency could fade suddenly and dramatically.

Selling Aubameyang could offer the least troublesome option of an invidious selection of choices for Arsenal. Any buyer would have to take a similar gamble, though that has not prevented a list of prominent clubs being linked with him.

Real Madrid are the latest side to be linked to Aubameyang. Today, reports suggest that Erling Haaland is a target for this year, and that Kylian Mbappe is the target for the following season. How then would Aubameyang fit in here?

The problem for Real is that the chances of Haaland moving on so quickly are slim given the fractured nature of the season, and his obvious happiness at Borussia Dortmund. But with Gareth Bale set for another transfer window of uncertainty, a goal threat who can play wide is needed. In addition, Luka Jovic, Marco Asensio and Isco could all depart in the summer, and with finances tight due to coronavirus, a reliable and cheap(ish) replacement makes sense.

Barcelona could need to replace three strikers this summer, given their particular situation. The club are in crisis behind the scenes, and they may have money troubles after the impact of the coronavirus. That will almost certainly see Martin Braithwaite leave after his brief stay, and Luis Suarez could be moved on given his age and recent injury problems. The big one, of course, is that Lionel Messi’s contract allows him to leave the club for nothing. Given the youngsters coming through for Barcelona, they do not need a long term option yet, they will need a sure thing.

Aubameyang has proven himself in top level football, and given his contract situation he may be relatively affordable, which might help Barcelona smooth over their difficult financial situation.

Even if he doesn’t join Barcelona, the Catalans may still have some influence over Aubameyang’s future.

Inter Milan are also facing a potential exodus of forwards in the next transfer window. Lautaro Martinez has been linked to Manchester City as a potential replacement for Sergio Aguero or Gabriel Jesus, and at 22 would allow the Brazilian to take on the senior role. Alexis Sanchez is also set to return to Manchester United as he has failed to impress sufficiently to make his loan deal permanent.

Aubameyang is in the same age range as Sanchez, so while Inter Milan might want to splash out on another striker in order to replace the outgoing Martinez, they could exploit Arsenal’s weakness to push for a relatively cheap deal and sure up at least one place in their squad.

Perhaps the easiest move to make for Aubameyang is the shortest. Chelsea and Arsenal fans might often be at odds, but there are plenty of instances of transfer dealings between the two clubs that have benefited both. William Gallas, David Luiz and Olivier Giroud have all split their times between the two sides with relative success.

Giroud is expected to leave Chelsea on a free transfer as he has fallen out of favour under Frank Lampard. Michy Batshuayi is unlikely to stay on either.

While Tammy Abraham looks to be a viable long-term option for Chelsea, Pedro and Willian are also likely to move on, which leaves them looking light up front. Aubameyang’s versatility would allow him to offer support where it is needed while not having to compromise the amount of first-team action he gets if he leaves Arsenal.

A slightly odd but persistent rumour has been the suggestion that Manchester United might be interested in bringing Aubameyang to Old Trafford. Fundamentally, it makes no sense.

There is no question that Anthony Martial is an inferior option to the Arsenal man, and that all of Daniel James, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata could not compete with him. However at 31, he would be the wrong age to join up with a squad that is looking to more youthful options.

One must also remember that Sanchez’s move from Arsenal to United was a disaster in similar circumstances. A post-30 player looking for his last big contract would be far too on the nose for even Ed Woodward to consider, surely?