Charlie Nicholas believes that there would be no point in allowing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to run down his contract, before stating that a move to another Premier League club just makes no sense.
The Gabon international is the talk of the town at present, with speculation rife regarding his future, with Manchester United, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona all linked.
With only one year remaining on his current deal, the speculation is likely to continue to run until a new contract is put in place. Nicholas says htat we should pay him what he wants to extend his stay at the club, and if he really wanted to leave in a year’s time we would get a better price for a player of his ability,
The Sky Sports pundit said: “Wholeheartedly as an Arsenal man, I would give him the contract that he desires.
“You put it on for three or four years – if he wants to stay that is.
“You give him what he wants because in a year’s time you can sell him and you get your value for money back, if that’s the case that he wants to leave.
“I just don’t see the point of running down contracts.”
Charlie went onto state that a move for Aubameyang to another Premier League club this summer just doesn’t make sense, with neither Liverpool or Manchester City likely to move, and with the striker ‘enjoying being an ‘Arsenal superstar’.
“If Barcelona or Real Madrid come in I’ll say ‘I’m not surprised he would want to go there, it doesn’t surprise me’.
“If there is anything else in England I am not so sure. I don’t expect Liverpool or Manchester City to go for him and try to get him.
“It would probably be a European team that he would go.
“At his age, and if you can get good money for him, no problem, I don’t have a concern for that.
“I think we have got people who can come in and softly improve it. We will miss his goals but I can accept if Aubameyang wants to go to Barcelona, Real Madrid or even Juventus.
“I don’t see the need that he wants to go. He is Arsenal’s superstar and I think that he enjoys that.”
Aubameyang has made no secret of his wish to play for Real Madrid previously, and that is probably a large part in his thought-process with a limited amount of time left in his career to get that move, but it remains to be seen whether the Galacticos will be following up their interest with a bid.
I’m not entirely sure why Nicholas would name Juventus as an option, but I do agree that a move to another Premier League side makes no sense, not for Arsenal or Aubameyang.
Patrick
