January 26, (THEWILL) – Arsenal have left Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang out of their squad for their winter training trip to Dubai.
After being dropped by head coach Mikel Arteta for a disciplinary breach in December, the 32-year-old has not featured for Arsenal since.
Following his exclusion from selection, he was stripped of his captaincy and forced to train alone — away from the first-team at Arsenal. The striker is unlikely to fly to Dubai on Monday, with Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere anticipated to be among the group.
Gabon also sent him home early from the TotalEnergies 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a COVID-19 infection raised fears about his heart, which was ultimately certified “completely healthy” by Arsenal physiotherapists.
Arsenal are said to have received a loan offer from Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia, with the option to buy the striker and cover his entire salary. There is interest from European clubs, especially Paris Saint-Germain, but Aubameyang’s wages are likely to be a stumbling block for them all.
Since transferring to the Emirates Stadium from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018, Aubameyang has scored seven goals in 15 games across all competitions this season, for a total of 92 goals in 163 appearances.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
