Arsenal transfer news: No Malcom deal but hope for Aubameyang

For a month that looked so bleak in the weeks leading up to 2018, Arsenal may come out the other side of January in better shape than they started. Alexis Sanchez might be on the verge of leaving, but the replacements on their radar should be cause for optimism among Arsenal fans.

We round up all of the top stories associated to the Gunners in the past week, including news on Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Malcom and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

‘Aubameyang left out of Dortmund squad’

The breaking news on Thursday night was that Borussia Dortmund had decided to leave Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang out of their travelling squad for Friday’s match away to Hertha Berlin.

Aubameyang has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal in the last week and Dortmund made a decision based on the face he is not 100 per cent committed to the club at the moment.

“He will train in Dortmund,” ESPN quote Dortmund’s sporting director, Michael Zorc, as saying on Thursday. “We have the impression at the moment that he has his head on other things and is not fully focused.”

Dortmund insist there has been no contact with Arsenal about signing Aubameyang this month but it would be a huge surprise if the Gabon international didn’t end up joining Arsene Wenger’s side.

No player has scored more clear-cut chances in the Bundesliga this season than Aubameyang (12).

‘Arsenal end interest in Malcom’

Arsenal identified Bordeaux winger Malcom as the player they wanted to replace Alexis Sanchez at the start of the month but the Gunners have now pulled their interest, claim Goal.

Deals for Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have since presented themselves to Arsenal and Arsene Wenger’s side are now pursuing both. The Gunners were always going to sign two of the three and have now put their pursuit of Malcom on pause.

Arsenal are still interested in signing the 20-year-old in the summer but it might be too late by then as London rivals Tottenham are now the frontrunners for his signature and could even wrap up a club-record deal for the Brazilian this month.

The timing of Arsenal ending their interest and Tottenham emerging as the new favourites could be more than a coincidence and the true reason why Wenger has suddenly decided to step back.

Malcom has enjoyed a standout season in France even though his Bordeaux team are faltering. The Ligue 1 outfit have only won two of their last 14 league matches but their No.7 has managed to play a direct hand in 12 goals.

Not only that, but only three players have won the WhoScored Man of the Match award more times than Malcom in Ligue 1 this season (5).

‘Mkhitaryan yet to agree terms’

Arsenal were hoping to sell Alexis Sanchez and welcome Henrikh Mkhitaryan in time for Saturday’s clash with Crystal Palace but the complex transfer with Manchester United will drag on through the weekend.

Wenger was confident a deal would be completed in the week but the Gunners are yet to reach a happy conclusion in talks with United outcast Mkhitaryan, or perhaps more accurately, his agent, Mino Raiola.

The super agent insists he holds all the cards in this blockbuster deal and is currently the reason why Sanchez does not play for United and Mkhitaryan does not play for Arsenal. 

However, there is good news for Arsenal as, according to The Daily Mail, Mkhitaryan has trained with United for the last time. The Armenia international was reportedly in tears while saying his goodbyes to players and staff at Carrington on Friday afternoon as his move to the Emirates edges closer.

Mkhitaryan started the season in a blaze of glory, quickly raking up five assists in United’s first three league games of the campaign. However, he hasn’t assisted one team-mate since then and has only scored two goals in that time.

‘Giroud could play makeweight in Aubameyang deal’

Player exchange deals are as rare as they come but Arsenal could be involved in two this month with The Independent reporting Arsene Wenger is ready to use Olivier Giroud as a makeweight in a bid to prise Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang away from Borussia Dortmund.

Arsenal are currently locked in talks with Manchester United over a transfer involving the exchange of Alexis Sanchez and Henrikh Mkhitaryan and are now ready to do the same with Dortmund.

Aubameyang’s departure would almost certainly mean Dortmund have to sign a replacement and Wenger believes he can help solve that problem for the Bundesliga giants.

Giroud has been heavily linked with a move away since the start of last season after dropping down the pecking order at the Emirates and a move to Dortmund would allow the 31-year-old the chance to find regular playing time.

The veteran striker is concerned he could lose his starting spot for France at the 2018 World Cup by staying at Arsenal for the remainder of the season and this could be a deal that pleases all parties.

Giroud has only started 12 Premier League matches since the start of last season and scored the most goals as a substitute in that period (10).