Arsenal have been dealt a new blow with the news that star striker and captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has pulled out of talks over a new contract.
According to The Mirror, the Gabonese striker is ready to quit Arsenal next summer having become frustrated the club's lack of progress.
Aubameyang has 18 months left of his current deal, and having already let Aaron Ramsey leave on a free transfer, Arsenal chiefs will be reluctant to let the same thing happen to another of their prize assets.
For Arsenal fans, the player has been one of few positives for them in the post-Wenger era. His scoring record since joining has been exceptional, with him picking up the Golden Boot in Unai Emery's first season in charge, and already hitting 10 league goals this time around.
However, he has also publicly clashed with the club over his friendship with AFTV star Troopz, and has come in for criticism from fans for leaving the pitch during Arsenal's 2-1 defeat against Brighton to take a toilet break.
Barcelona have been heavily linked with Aubameyang as a potential replacement for Luis Suarez, and Real Madrid are also said to be interested, with some reports suggesting they're willing to offer Luka Jovic in a player-plus-cash deal.
A move to either would be at odds with quotes from the man who helped bring him to Arsenal in the first place, Sven Mislintat. Arsenal's former head of recruitment, now director of football at Stuttgart, spoke earlier in the season about the reasons why Aubameyang hadn't already been picked up by either of the Spanish giants. Speaking to The Athletic, he said:
"He is one, possibly the only one, of these extraordinary top, top, top strikers who is an absolute team player.
"Since he joined Arsenal, he played where he was asked and needed, and so he helped especially Lacazette to adapt to the Premier League.
"Maybe this attitude costs him to play for clubs like Real Madrid or Barcelona but maybe they made a mistake not to go for him.
"I like his mindset. It is good for a team’s atmosphere."
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