Aubameyang To Seal Barcelona Move From Arsenal On Free Transfer

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has passed a medical and will be confirmed soon as a Barcelona player on a free transfer on Tuesday morning after several hours of negotiations during which it appeared a proposed move from Arsenal had crashed.

He is currently out of the picture on disciplinary grounds at Arsenal, where he had 18 months left on his £300,000-a-week contract, and the transfer suits all parties. The 32-year-old travelled to Barcelona to be there on deadline day in order to complete the deal, as reports has it that he also has family in the city.

Aubameyang was diagnosed with heart lesions after recuperating from Covid-19 at the Africa Cup of Nations but stated few days later that he was “absolutely fine” and “completely healthy”. With the medical successfully finalized and his Barcelona contract agreed, the Catalan club have chosen to announce his arrival on Tuesday rather than on deadline night.

Initially, negotiations seemed to have foundered, with the clubs unable to reach an agreement on how to divide Aubameyang’s wage and Barcelona’s financial difficulties making things really difficult.

Barcelona’s president, Joan Laporta, stated that with about four hours of the window remaining, the club’s director of football, Mateu Alemany, was positive to get the deal done.

Aubameyang has been exiled at Arsenal by Mikel Arteta, who stripped him of his captaincy as a result of lack of commitment.