Aubameyang signs new deal – Can Arsenal challenge for Premier League title?

01/10/20 3579

Don’t worry, Arsenal supporters. You can finally relax! Following a lengthy spell of uncertainty, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has finally put pen to paper and signed a contract with the North London outfit.

The Gunners captain has agreed a new three-year deal, receiving a substantial pay rise on top of his previous £200,000-a-week contract, with reports suggesting that he is now the club’s highest earner.

Arsenal have been busy throughout the transfer window, bringing in four first-team players, as well as welcoming William Saliba on a permanent basis.

Gabriel Magalhaes, Pablo Mari, Cedric Soares, and Willian have all arrived at the Emirates. But securing the signature of Aubameyang is undoubtedly the best piece of business the club will do this summer.

So, now the Gunners have their star man on board for the foreseeable future, the question on everyone’s lips is: can Arsenal challenge for the Premier League title?

Arsenal last won the Premier League title all the way back in 2003/04, with the famous invincibles team going unbeaten for the entire campaign. But since then, the red half of North London has had very little to shout about.

However, under the guidance of Mikel Arteta, a fresh sense of optimism has emerged, and it seems as though the club is heading in the right direction again.

Of course, it is still early days, and there is still plenty of work to be done. But it feels like convincing Aubameyang to stay could be a huge turning point.

You cannot overstate the importance of the Gabon international. Since joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2017/18, Aubameyang has netted an astonishing 72 goals in 111 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners.

The 31-year-old has scored 22 goals in each of the previous two Premier League seasons, sharing the Golden Boot with Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in 2018/19 before finishing one goal shy of Jamie Vardy last term.

And as if that wasn’t impressive enough, it is worth pointing out that since Aubameyang joined Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund in a £56 million deal in 2018, no player has scored more Premier League goals.

The strength of the country’s top clubs – Liverpool and Manchester City – means it will be very difficult for Arsenal to challenge for the Premier League title this season, while fellow hopefuls – Chelsea and Manchester United – have also bolstered their squads this summer.

However, if Aubameyang continues to score at his current rate, and the team continues to evolve, it is surely only be a matter of time before Arsenal are challenging the top sides in the country again.