‘Aubameyang should join a more ambitious club than Arsenal’

Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (L) is tackled by Sporting Lisbon's Jeremy Mathieu during the UEFA Europa League group E match between Arsenal and Sporting Lisbon at the Emirates Stadium in London, Britain on Nov. 8, 2018. The final score was 0-0. (Xinhua/Tim Ireland/IANS)


Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has to find a more “ambitious” club than Arsenal, according to the football association chief of his home country Gabon.

“I don’t want to say Arsenal aren’t ambitious but Arsenal don’t have ambitions as high as some other clubs as far as Europe is concerned,” Gabonese FA President Pierre Alain Mounguengui told ESPN.

“So if Pierre could secure a contract with a more ambitious club he’d definitely find his place there.

“On an individual level we all consider him to be among the best players in the world but the advice I give to him is to continue to work and to attract the attention of the biggest clubs and the most ambitious clubs.”

Aubameyang was the last signing made by long-time Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in 2018. He is yet to win a trophy at the London club but they have finished runners up in the League Cup and the Europa League in his time there.

“Aubameyang is a world-class player but for him, or anyone else in Europe who hasn’t won a major honour, football is a collective sport,” Mounguengui said. “Right now he’s at Arsenal and he’s won nothing here. So it’s a collective failing.”