Following reports that goalscorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang does intend to remain with Arsenal when his contract ends in the summer of 2021, Manchester United will reportedly make a bid on the Gabon international. The Red Devils will pay up to £50 million to bring the striker to Old Trafford.
Aubameyang has been holding off on extension talks with the Gunners and it is believed he intends to depart in the summer for a chance to play in the Champions League. Recently, Arsenal was booted out of the Europa League and the possibility is slim for the North London club to qualify for the UCL next season.
At the moment, the team is at No. 9 in the Premier League table and will require nine points or three wins to catch up with Chelsea.
United, on the other hand, is just three points down from the Blues and a ticket to the prestigious competition is within reach. So club boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is confident that Aubameyang could be persuaded to sign for a fee that is a bit lower from the price paid by Arsenal when the striker joined up in 2018 from Dortmund, The Daily Mail reported.
United, however, will face stiff competition as Aubameyang is proving to be one of the most prolific goalscorers in Europe. His combined playtime with Dortmund and Arsenal saw him with a total goal of 202 and in the season alone, the Gunners captain already netted 20 goals.
It is expected that Solskjaer will see his move on Aubameyang to be upstaged by offers coming from Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Before the games were suspended in Europe by the spread of COVID-19, the two giant clubs are en route to clinching their respective spots in the next season of the Champions League.
Arsenal though is working double-time to keep Aubameyang at the Emirates. Team manager Mikel Arteta has recently made clear that extending the stay of Aubameyang will be his top priority and he will see to it that the team captain will remain with the club at all cost.
Metro said efforts are now underway to prevent the Arsenal striker from leaving.
"Head of football Raul Sanllehi and technical director Edu are desperate for Aubameyang to put pen to paper but the 30-year-old is reluctant as he wants to be playing Champions League football next season," said the report.
United is said to be making the stay of loan signing Odion Ighalo permanent in the summer but if Aubameyang becomes available, Solskjaer will likely pick the Gunners captain over the Nigerian striker.
