Darren Bent reckons that there has been a drop off in the performance of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang since he signed his new deal.
The Gabon striker was set to leave the Gunners for nothing in the next summer transfer window.
However, the club was determined to keep hold of him and they made it clear from the start that they wanted him to sign a new deal.
He was in fine form for the club during the time that his future was up in the air, and everyone told the Gunners not to lose him.
He has been handed a new three-year deal, but he is struggling to score goals for the club now.
Bent reckons that it isn’t just a lack of goals that has characterised his games so far, but he has also struggled with his pressing and intensity unlike when he hadn’t been offered a new deal.
“It’s not the fact he hasn’t scored a goal, it’s the performances,” Bent said to Talksport.
“Before he signed his contract he was absolutely everywhere – running back, tracking back, putting tackles in, breaking forward. There was a real hunger and intensity to his game.
“At the minute, you can see there’s been a massive drop off. I don’t know if it’s coincided with the new contract, but you can tell that he’s not playing with the same intensity that he had before.
“When you focus so much on getting a new deal like Aubameyang did, you’ll run that extra yard and make that extra effort.
“When he sits down now and analyses his performances before and after the contract he’ll see that there’s been a massive change.”
Mesut Ozil was also in fine form until he earned his big-money new deal, hopefully, Aubameyang will not go the same way.
Do you think Bent is correct in his assessment or is he jumping the gun far too soon?
