Celtic's prolific striker Odsonne Edouard will be hot property on the market this summer, however, ex-Liverpool man John Barnes can only see Arsenal being in the mix if Aubameyang leaves.
"Do Celtic fans really believe that their best player isn’t available for the right price? No, they don’t. This is a fact of life, and of modern football," Barnes told BonusCodeBets.
"Odsonne Edouard is the top striker in Scotland and if Aubameyang was to leave Arsenal, then they will be looking at Edouard’s situation. However, if Aubameyang stays, then I don’t see him coming.
“As a club, you must be keeping tabs on other players and potential replacements because you just don’t know what is going to happen. You must always be ready for the possibility of a player leaving, so that you’re not caught with your pants down.
"Even if a player is happy and everything is going well at a club, the club has got to be ahead of the game in case the worst happens, and they’ve got to find a replacement. This is the case with Aubameyang, nothing is certain in football so it’s important you prepare."
Arsenal and contingency planning, heh. And here we were, thinking Barnes doesn't have a sense of humour.
On a more serious note though, Arteta comes across as quite confident that Aubameyang will extend his stay. We suspect it will in big part be down to qualifying for the Europa League, which at this point means winning the FA Cup.
We are not entirely sure why players would be fussed about that tournament though. It's decidedly average and mind-boggingly dull, definitely so during the group stages. It's not like we are fighting in the Champions League.
However, it doesn't look like Edouard, if he comes in, as a direct Aubameyang replacement in terms of playing style. With Alexandre Lacazette able to offer what Edouard offers, we can't really see the transfer happening.
Do you think Edouard is a player Arsenal need? Under what circumstances if so? Let us know below or chip in though blogs!
