Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Manchester United transfer talk branded ‘madness’
Ray Parlour has said it would be ‘madness’ for them to sell top-scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Premier League rivals Manchester United this summer.
Reports have suggested that Aubameyang would be open to the idea of moving to United, but Parlour says he would be ‘shocked’ if that was to happen, saying Arsenal will have learned from the Robin van Persie saga of 2012.
Aubameyang on the move? Five things to know…
- Aubameyang joined Arsenal in January 2018 for approximately £60m.
- The Gabonese striker scored 22 league goals last season, making him the joint-winner of the Golden Boot.
- Arsenal’s budget this summer is reportedly just £45m.
- It has become clear that the Gunners will need to sell in order to buy during the transfer window.
- United may be in the market for a striker if Romelu Lukaku completes a move to Inter.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Parlour made it clear where he stands on the rumoured move.
“It would be madness to let him go, but players have got all the power these days,” said the former Arsenal midfielder.
“Aubameyang and [Alexandre] Lacazette have been absolutely brilliant this season. It looks like they’ve got a really good relationship up front, you can see how they celebrate goals.
“I’d be amazed by that [if he signed for United], I really would. That would shock me.
“That wouldn’t be good from an Arsenal supporters’ point of view – we all remember when Robin van Persie left to United and they ended up winning the league the following season.
“Goalscorers are so important. Good ones are hard to find and he’s really proven he is a top-class goalscorer.
“You want to be adding to your squad, not trying to get rid of a few players!”
Subscribe to Squawka’s Youtube channel here.
Arsenal must learn from past mistakes
Unfortunately for Arsenal, the memory of many of their legends has been tainted by the nature of their departures.
The obvious one is Van Persie who, after scoring 30 goals for Arsenal in 2011/12, moved to rivals United and fired them to the title the following season. Cesc Fabregas left for Barcelona after another outstanding season at the Emirates, only to return to England and win titles with Chelsea. Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy also became unpopular with fans following their moves to the other side of Manchester, where they both won the league with City.
Aubameyang, 30, has expressed no real desire to leave the Emirates Stadium, and it would very much be the decision of the club if he was to leave north London this summer.
