Arsenal are weighing up a big money move for Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as they look to fill the boots of Alexis Sanchez.
Arsene Wenger revealed on Sunday that the Chilean could be sold within 48 hours after Manchester United jumped ahead of rivals City in the race to sign him.
And the Gunners have wasted no time in identifying possible replacements, with a sensational deal for £60million-rated Aubameyang now being discussed.
Like Sanchez, Aubameyang was not involved in his side’s game on Sunday after being left out of the squad for missing a team meeting the day before.
After Dortmund’s 0-0 draw with Wolfsburg, boss Peter Stoger insisted the Gabon international would be reintegrated if he obeyed ‘certain rules’ and impressed in upcoming training sessions.
But it now appears that he may have played his last game for the German club after Arsenal began discussions regarding a January switch.
Arsenal’s new head of recruitment, Sven Mislintat, signed Aubameyang during his time at Dortmund, bringing him to the club for just £11.7m in the summer of 2013.
He remains a huge admirer of the striker, who is second behind Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski in the Bundesliga scoring chart with 13 goals this season.
At 28 years old and with huge salary demands, Aubameyang does not fit Wenger’s usual profile when it comes to new signings.