Arsenal star Aubameyang reportedly planned January move to FA Cup final rivals Chelsea

August 1, 2020 By Ali M.

Topics: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Arsenal, Chelsea, FA Cup Final, FA Cup

The Gunners captain reportedly reached out to the Blues during the winter transfer window. Here's why the move never materialized.

Arsenal are gearing up for a crucial showdown with Chelsea in the FA Cup final later today. One man who will be key for the Gunners, the player who could be the difference between winning and losing, is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. However, according to the Daily Mail, the man Gooners will be looking to for inspiration in the final could have been playing for the opposition.

The Gunners captain has been at the center of transfer speculation due to his contract issue. The former Dortmund ace is into the final 12 months of his current Emirates Stadium deal and with little talk of an extension emerging, fans are understandably worried over seeing their talisman forward leave the club.

The 31-year-old is said to be hopeful over a Barcelona move but according to the Daily Mail, the Gabonese superstar contacted Chelsea in January with the aim of making a Stamford Bridge move. Aubameyang was linked with the Blues during the winter transfer window, with the British tabloid now reporting that there was truth to those rumors.

Lampard's side are probably not interested in the Arsenal man anymore, having signed Timo Werner from RB Leipzig. However, in January, they were keen on a striker and the Gabonese ace ticket all the right boxes.

Why did a move never materialize? According to the British tabloid, Aubameyang's high wage demands was what killed everything. Had this gone through, the Arsenal man could have followed in the footsteps of Ashley Cole, Samir Nasri, and Robin Van Persie – just to name a few – by going from crowd favorite to becoming Judas at the Emirates Stadium.

The striker ended up remaining at the club and was one of the key reasons behind them reaching the FA Cup final, having scored both goals in the 2-0 semi-final win over Man City. As for what the future holds for the 31-year-old, that remains a mystery.

European football – or the lack thereof – could be make or break for the player. While the attacker was said to been keen on Champions League football, winning the FA Cup would earn them a spot in the Europa League and would secure them finances which could be used to fund an already-promising rebuilding process.