Just a day or two ago there were reports in the football media that the Arsenal and Costa Rica international forward Joel Campbell could be set to leave the club and the Premier League completely, with representatives of the Turkish champions Galatasaray supposedly in London to talk about signing him in the January transfer window.
At the same time the Arsenal transfer rumours about the Borussia Dortmund and Gabon star Pierre-Emerick Aubamaeyang were getting more numerous and stronger. Back then I thought the two stories might be connected and the news reported by Metro today does nothing to change that, as the paper reveals that the Gunners have now opened up talks with Campbell over an extension to his current deal which runs out at the end of the season.
Good news for the Costa Rican and a just reward for the way the young player has knuckled down when his playing opportunities were limited and then stepped up when Arsene Wenger and the team needed him. But is it a coincidence that this news comes around the same time as the Daily Mail is reporting that Aubameyang has issued a firm transfer snub to Arsenal?
The Dortmund striker said, “I don’t want to go to Arsenal. I won’t leave Dortmund soon.”
So was Aubameyang our only striker transfer target and is Campbell’s new contract a direct result of the snub?