Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has finally joined Barcelona from Arsenal on a free transfer! He signs on an 18-month deal, and he's taken a massive salary cut to make it happen!
He was earning around 340,000£/week, and that sum will drop to under 100,000£/week, for at least the first six months of the deal! It'll then increase again for the next 12 months.
This move happened because Aubameyang was controversially frozen out of Arsenal's first-team squad due to consistent disciplinary issues, such as being late to training! He was training with the reserves by the end, as his relationship with Arteta deteriorated massively. Arsenal were desperate to sell him, and after the shock of the Aguero retirement, due to his heart condition, Barcelona needed to bring in a striker.
After exploring other options such as Morata unsuccessfully, Barcelona turned to Aubameyang. The deal was advancing quickly, as Arsenal were happy to let him leave, and personal terms were all plain sailing, as Aubameyang was desperate to go to have some game time. The deal was in jeopardy due to Barcelona struggling to find the financial space to fund Aubameyang's wages, despite them being so miserly to his previous, more handsome Arsenal wage.
Barcelona frantically tried to offload Ousmane Dembele, offering him repeatedly to Chelsea, Manchester United and PSG, but negotiations with PSG broke down fairly quickly, as no agreement was close to being reached. Chelsea and United never showed concrete interest. The deal looked to be off, but then...
Barcelona miraculously freed some space and did a financial masterclass to allow Aubameyang to sign, who had to slightly lower his already deprived wage again, to sign!
The deal is now completed, as he is currently undergoing his medical. Official announcement in the coming hours. What a story!
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