Why a Coutinho-Aubameyang swap deal suits Arsenal and Barca

Robin Bairner

• 16 Aug 2021 21:46 BST
• 3 min read

Barcelona have spent much of the summer trying to offload highly paid stars and Arsenal could offer them the perfect solution to their Philippe Coutinho problem.

Coutinho was signed in January 2018 to try and plug the creative gap that Neymar’s departure had left, but the Brazil international star has failed to live up to either his big transfer fee or his sizeable wages.

With the Catalans in a financially delicate position, they are in dire need of cutting their wage bill, particularly when it relates to a figure who is not pulling his weight in the team.

Furthermore, there is a belief that they require more firepower. Although they impressed in a 4-2 win over Real Sociedad on Sunday, Martin Braithwaite is not regarded as the type of elite striker who is going to score the volume of goals that will allow them to mount a serious title challenge. Another option is needed.

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Arsenal could provide the Catalans with the solution to both these problems, and indeed Sky Sports reports that Barca are going to target the Gunners with that in mind.

First and foremost, Barcelona want to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, a player they have followed closely even since his Borussia Dortmund days. They cannot, however, afford to pay a significant fee for him.

Aubameyang, though, appears unsettled. There is speculation that his absence from Arsenal’s Friday loss to Brentford was due to more than just the ‘illness’ reason given by the club. Furthermore, he is the Gunners’ top earner and has scantly justified that status in recent times.

Could he be available if the right offer came in? Absolutely.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are scrambling for a playmaker. They have tried unsuccessfully to secure Martin Odegaard on a permanent basis from Real Madrid, while Emi Buendia snubbed them to sign instead for Aston Villa.

With two weeks of the transfer window remaining, it is a situation that is getting critical.

The problem? Once again it boils down to Barcelona's finances. Coutinho is on approximately half the wages of Aubameyang and Barca are struggling even to pay the players they presently have. Aubameyang's wage is weighty and unless they sell, it is difficult to see how they could accommodate him.