Arsenal legend Martin Keown has talked about Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s captaincy at Arsenal – and this he should be relieved of the position.
With Aubameyang’s unsure of his decision to stay with the Gunners, Keown feels that it’s best to send him a “message” regarding his being a captain, even though Aubameyang became the captain after Granit Xhaka was stripped of the title just six months back. The Gabon international’s contract will be expiring next season.
Barcelona, PSG and Real Madrid are vying to get him on their side, among others.
Martin Keown told talkSPORT: “I think the message needs to be to the player, ‘Look, we can’t have you captaining the club if there’s uncertainty around your contract’, in the last year of his contract, that can’t be allowed to happen.”
The defender-turned-pundit added: “I think he’ll leave with a heavy heart.
“I think he’s the nearest thing I have seen to Thierry Henry at the football club and the club will have to make swift decisions.
“They can’t allow what happened a few years ago with the transfers just going on and on. The club needs direction.”
Former Gunners player Ray Parlour has given his opinion on whether Arsenal should eventually sell him off or wait till Auba wants to extend his stay himself.
He told talkSPORT: “I think you’ve got to sell him if he doesn’t sign a contract, and then take the money and try to replace him.
“It’s really difficult to keep a player if he doesn’t want to stay.
“It’s a big decision to make, but I don’t know what sort of money you could get for him if he doesn’t want to stay. If you get a good fee for him then you have to try and go out and replace him.
Will Arsenal end up replacing him with someone? They already have their eye on top targets to replace Aubameyang, so it might happen.
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