Barcelona made a concrete offer for Aubameyang but Arsenal captain snubbed LaLiga giants

Earlier this week, Premier League giants Arsenal confirmed that club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had extended his contract after months of speculation over his future. It was earlier revealed that the Gabon international turned down several offers from top European clubs to agree to a deal with Arsenal. Sky Sports now reveal that Barcelona were one of the top clubs that were keen on signing the Arsenal star. 

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Arsenal transfer news: Barcelona attempted to seal Aubameyang transfer 

Barcelona were keen on sealing the Aubameyang transfer last summer and had also made a decent offer to the Gunners. This time as well, the Catalan giants presented a concrete offer to seal the Aubameyang transfer. However, the former Borussia Dortmund striker went on to extend his stay at the Emirates instead, netting a huge pay bump in the process. 

Besides Barcelona, Serie A giants Inter Milan were also monitoring the striker's situation closely. It is reported that Aubameyang was considering his future at Arsenal until the arrival of Mikel Arteta. He had serious doubts over the club's success under the previous manager, Unai Emery. 

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Arsenal transfer news: Aubameyang speaks after extending stay 

However, Arteta believed that it was his as well as the club's duty to make sure the prolific striker stays put. The manager insisted that the club should inform the striker of their ambition and plans. Arteta stated that it is the club's duty to sign the right players that will help the team to challenge for trophies. 

After declining Barcelona's offer and extending his contract with Arsenal, Aubameyang spoke to the club's website. “Signing for this special club was never in doubt. It’s thanks to our fans, my team-mates, my family and everybody at this club that I feel like I belong here. I believe in Arsenal. We can achieve big things together. We have something exciting here and I believe the best is to come for Arsenal.”

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Aubameyang's stats with Arsenal 

Amid the Aubameyang transfer talk, the striker's stats for Arsenal have been nothing short of exceptional since his move from Dortmund in January 2018. Since the Aubameyang transfer to the UK, he has managed 111 appearances, netting 72 goals across all competitions. He went on to jointly win the Premier League Golden Boot in his first full season, with 22 goals throughout the course of the campaign. 

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Image courtesy: Arsenal Twitter