Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been a revelation since switching Arsenal for Barcelona, but the Gabonese striker was linked with a switch to Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United.
The Mirror boldly claimed that the Magpies could have made a loan move for the 72-cap Gabon international with a £20million option to buy in the January transfer window.
Football journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claimed in January on the Vibe with Five podcast that Newcastle wanted to prioritise targeting young strikers like Hugo Ekitike over Aubameyang.
After Mikel Arteta stripped the 32-year-old of the Arsenal captaincy, Aubameyang made the free transfer switch to Barcelona in the January window.
Aubameyang, who was signed by the Gunners for £56million (BBC Sport), has been a revelation at the Nou Camp and is thriving in Xavi’s Barcelona side.
In 11 games for the Spanish giants, the former Borussia Dortmund man has nine goals and one assist to his name.
He scored the decisive goal to send Barcelona through to the Europa League quarter-finals.
Barcelona’s number 25 was at his devastating best in last night’s 4-0 El Clasico win against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The former Arsenal man gave his side the lead with a clinical header at the near post which found the bottom corner, following a cross from Ousmane Dembele.
With Barcelona 2-0 up and running riot at their fiercest rivals’ own stomping ground, Aubameyang produced a nonchalant backheel perfectly into the path of Ferran Torres who smashed home Barca’s third on the night.
By the 51st minute, Xavi’s men were 4-0 up and it was Torres this time repaying the favour to Aubameyang who elegantly chipped the ball over the on-rushing Thibaut Courtois with his left foot.
Barcelona are seeing the best of Aubameyang following his fresh start in Spain and his focus is back to football.
Newcastle legend Alan Shearer has previously spoken abut the 32-year-old’s discipline discrepancies.
There is no denying when he is focused and committed to football he’s a class act and one of the most formidable strikers across Europe.
But regardless of his star-studded qualities, PIF and Howe were wise to steer clear of signing Aubameyang whose disciplinary issue could rear its ugly head at any time.
The Newcastle United dressing room doesn’t have any egos who believe the team evolves around them and that team harmony has had a massive influence in his climbing up the league table and moving away from the relegation zone.
It was always difficult to envisage Aubameyang moving to Tyneside for anything but financial motivation.
Credit where credits due, the clinical striker is back to his best and is clearly loving life in Spain, but Newcastle will not be regretting their decision.
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