By IBTimes Staff Reporter : Subscribe to IBTimes's RSS feed
March 10, 2013 10:15 AM GMT
Arsenal are preparing a move for Saint-Etienne striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the end of the season, according to the Metro.
The report claims the Gunners' trusted scout, Gilles Grimandi, was in the stands during St Etienne's tie against Rennes. The game ended in a 2-2 draw and saw Aubameyang score for his side. The 23-year-old has been in impressive form, scoring 16 goals and managing eight assists in the Ligue 1 this season and is now being tagged the African Neymar.
With Grimandi's positive feedback, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is now likely to send Gunners chief scout Steve Rowley to watch the striker in action for Christophe Galtier's side. St Etienne are unlikely to let their star player leave for cheap and could ask £15m for his signature. However, a £10m bid from the English side could see them bring Aubameyang to the Emirates at the end of the season.
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The striker earlier expressed his desire to play in the Premier League. Should the Gabonese prefer a move to the north London club in the summer, it will bolster Arsenal's attacking line-up and also give French international Olivier Giroud competition up front.
However, any hope of Arsenal landing the forward will not be an easy task as north London rivals Tottenham, European champions Chelsea and Newcastle United are all interested in signing Aubameyang.
Gervinho Hoping for Miracle against Bayern
Meanwhile, Gervinho believes Arsenal can still pull off a miraculous win, when they face Bayern Munich in the second leg of a Champions league knock-out tie in Bavaria next midweek. The first leg at the Emirates saw the Gunners lose 1-3 but the 25-year-old is hoping to progress to the latter stages.
"We know it is not going to be an easy match. It is not easy to come back from 3-1 against Bayern Munich. We scored at Emirates Stadium against them, and you just never know, a miracle can happen. If we score an early goal it will put them under pressure. We just need to keep positive and give everything we have. We all know anything can happen in football," Gervinho told the club Web site. http://www.ibtimes.co.uk