Borussia Dortmund said on Thursday they have had no contact with Arsenal amidst reports their star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is chasing a move to the Premier League giants.
Aubameyangâs father and agent Pierre has reportedly been in London this week to negotiate a transfer for the Gabon forward, who was left out of Dortmundâs squad for Friday nightâs trip to Hertha Berlin, according to newspaper Bild.
According to German magazine Kicker, Dortmund want 70 million euros ($85.6m) for last seasonâs top-scorer in the German league.
Aubameyang has already scored 21 goals in 23 games this season, but was disciplined by the club last Sunday for the third time in 16 months after failing to attend a team meeting.
He was dropped for Sundayâs goalless draw at home to Wolfsburg and will now miss a second game in a row, fuelling the speculation he will soon be heading to north London.
âIt is obvious that he has to put his foot down in training and show up well,â head coach Peter Stoeger said of Aubameyang earlier on Thursday.
âHe can decide for himself, with his attitude, whether he will be considered and I plan on using him, if he works hard.â
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger praised Aubameyangâs âstrong characterâ, which did not go down well with Dortmundâs sports director Michael Zorc.
âWe find it respectless to talk about a player from another club,â said Zorc, who added that Aubameyang has this week âtrained well and is focusedâ on regaining his Dortmund place.
âThere has been no contact with Arsenal and we assume Arsene Wenger has enough to do worrying about the performances of his own players.â
Aubameyang has a contract at Dortmund until 2021.
Swedish teenager Alexander Isak, 18, made only his third German league appearance when he took Aubameyangâs place on Sunday, but the team struggled to take their chances.
AFP
