Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund are claimed to be taking their asking price off the table at the end of July, meaning Arsenal must meet the required fee by July 31 or miss out on star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The striker was expected to join French giants Paris Saint-Germain this summer, with odds dropping as low as 1/7 to complete the switch with various bookmakers, before the Ligue 1 runners-up pulled out of the deal.
The fee is believed to have been the stumbling block, although other sources claim the Parisiens opted to pursue Kylian Mbappe instead, and while we are also linked with a move to sign the Monaco wonderkid, a deal is far from being completed on any front.
Arsenal now have a time limit to make their decision on whether to pursue a deal for Aubameyang, with the BVB believed to have set a deadline on the end of July or their asking price is removed.
This will either mean that he will be unavailable, or that his price will become even more inflated than the current €70 Million fee.
There are a number of strikers believed to be on the move this summer, with Alexandre Lacazette, Alvaro Morata, Romelu Lukaku and Carlos Bacca all tipped for moves, while Karim Benzema could also find himself falling down the pecking order should Mbappe seal a move there.
Aubameyang has an amazing goal return in recent seasons, and would no doubt be an exciting prospect to sign, but the fee being touted would be a club record, and may be deemed a huge risk as Arsene Wenger looks to invest strongly in returning his side to challenge for the Premier League title.
Should Aubameyang be a priority signing?
Pat J