Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s future at Arsenal has been cast into doubt after he was dropped from the matchday squad ahead of Saturday’s 3-0 win over Southampton and rid of the captaincy on Tuesday.
It’s the second time this year that the striker has been dropped for disciplinary reasons, having already been benched in March for the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur.
When quizzed about Aubameyang’s absence, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta didn’t elaborate on the details of the disciplinary breach.
‘He had a disciplinary breach, that applies to everybody,’ Arteta said.
‘That’s a non-negotiable and when that happens, he’s out of the team. Whatever happens in the dressing room, I cannot share. I am sorry.’
Arteta also refused to answer questions about whether Aubameyang would remain the Gunners’ captain – a situation which became clear following Arsenal’s statement on Tuesday.
‘Following his latest disciplinary breach last week, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will no longer be our club captain, and will not be considered for selection for Wednesday’s match against West Ham United.
‘We expect all our players, particularly our captain, to work to the rules and standards we have all set and agreed.
‘We are fully focused on tomorrow’s match.’
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s decline since last season
Since signing a new three-year contract at the Emirates Stadium in September 2020, the striker’s form has undoubtedly declined.
In his first full season at the club, he finished joint top scorer in the Premier League with 22 goals, sharing the Golden Boot with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
The following season saw him inspire Arsenal to FA Cup glory, netting twice in both the semi-final against Manchester City and again in the final against Chelsea.
Most Arsenal fans were desperate for Aubameyang to sign a new deal at the time, although there were some concerns about handing a big contract to an aging player.
The Gunners were stung when they handed then-29-year-old Mesut Ozil a reported £350,000-a-week deal in January 2018.
After signing the bumper contract, the German international fell out-of-favour with both Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta and was a regular on the Arsenal bench before departing for Fenerbahce in January 2021.
Arsenal may now face a similar struggle with Aubameyang, who is contracted to the club until 2023 and is reportedly also on £350,000-a-week.
The 32-year-old scored just 15 goals in all competitions last season, a significant drop down from the 29 he scored in the 2019-20 campaign.
With the Gunners not competing in any European competition for the first time since the mid-1990s, there was hope that a less hectic schedule could help Aubameyang rediscover his form.
He showed glimpses of his old form when he bagged a hat-trick in the Carabao Cup tie at West Bromwich Albion in August, but he has only scored four goals since.
What next for Arsenal and Aubameyang?
Arsenal’s recent recruitment indicates that Aubameyang isn’t part of the club’s long-term future.
Every player the club signed this summer was under the age of 25 and Arteta has regularly fielded teams this season with an average age of 24.
With the club’s transfer strategy clearly focused on youth, at 32, it’s hard to see Aubameyang being a part of the club’s long-term plans, even if he does return to the starting line-up.
Eddie Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette are both set to become free agents next summer, so Arsenal will most likely be in the market for a new striker soon.
Arsenal’s league position come the end of the season will have a big impact on the calibre of player they can attract to the club.
Dusan Vlahovic has been strongly linked with a move to the Emirates in recent weeks, as have Joao Félix, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Jonathan David.
Any of these players would command a large transfer fee as well as high wages, so qualifying for European football next season is vital in order to persuade them to join.
Aubameyang is still Arsenal’s best finisher
Recent Premier League away defeats at Manchester United and Everton were costly, however the Gunners are still firmly in the race for Champions League football next season.
To get back into Europe, Arsenal will need a regular goalscorer once again.
Despite his recent dip in form, Aubameyang is still Arsenal’s top scorer so far this season with seven goals in all competitions.
If the Gabon international does leave in January, he will free up a lot of room on the wage bill and he will need replacing.
If he manages to work his way back into Arteta’s plans, the Spaniard will be hoping his striker can get back to his very best and fire the club back into the Champions League.
