Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is now set to complete a move to Barcelona after reportedly terminating his contract with Arsenal.
The La Liga side were initially looking to sign the 32-year-old on a loan deal. They tried to work out various formulas, while making sure they don’t breach any ‘fair play’ rules.
This option was also made complicated due to Ousmane Dembélé’s refusal to move elsewhere in the recently concluded window.
Xavi Hernández’s side have had the Gabon international on their agenda for a while. In the first half of January, they looked to sign him, while allowing Samuel Umtiti move to the Emirates on a loan deal.
A ‘Top Secret’ report from Mundo Deportivo explain the La Liga side and the Gunners had ‘practically closed’ the defender’s loan transfer to the north London club. However, the deal collapsed after he suffered a foot injury.
The Frenchman went under the knife on January 18th and will be out of action for three months.
Mundo state it is ‘not ruled out’ Umtiti joining Mikel Arteta’s side on loan in the future, as there is a ‘real option’ for him to make a switch to London.
Despite the former Lyon man’s failure to join Arsenal in January, the report says a ‘new possibility’ could be opened next summer.
The newspaper further states: ‘…there is a lot of time for it and many things can happen. What seems clear is that Umtiti’s role at Barça will remain the same’.
