Arsenal have set their sights on Borussia Dortmund forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as an alternative to long-term target Karim Benzema, according to Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Emanuele Giulianelli, via Eurosport.
Writing on his @EmaGiulianelli Twitter account, the writer had the following to say:
As I told yesterday, Benzema deal is on. Arsenal is thinking about alternatives if the time runs out.
— Emanuele Giulianelli (@EmaGiulianelli) August 14, 2015
Aubameyang, the alternative to Benzema for Arsenal. If Benzema doesn’t materialise. — Emanuele Giulianelli (@EmaGiulianelli) August 14, 2015
The rangy Gabon international has proven a success since leaving Saint-Etienne for the Westfalenstadion, netting 42 goals in his first two seasons in Germany, and is a player Borussia Dortmund could ill afford to lose.
The German heavyweights, now under new boss Thomas Tuchel, endured a miserable season in 2014/15, during which they flirted with relegation, before something of an upturn in form led to a late-season revival. However, they still only managed a seventh-placed finish.
Aubameyang finished as the club’s leading scorer last term, and the Daily Telegraph confirm that the 26-year-old has only recently signed a new long-term deal with the club he joined back in July 2013.
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Arsene Wenger saw his side draw a blank in their opening Premier League fixture, at home to West Ham United, and that was despite the North London side fielding Olivier Giroud, Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez at periods during the game.
First-choice striker Giroud is by no means a prolific marksman, the French international bagging 54 goals in 135 appearances for Arsenal, and a move for a more effective spearhead to lead the Emirates Stadium attack would be a sensible one to consider, particularly if the north-London heavyweights have title aspirations.