Four Hot Strikers Who Could Be Next Aubameyang
With just a couple of months left of the 2020/21 Premier League season, once again Arsenal will have to settle for a degree of mediocrity.
What Gunners fans will want to see is progression next season, and they may have to start with a rethink of the attacking options available to Mikel Arteta. That starts with a possible replacement for pacey striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Last season, the Gabon international was in red hot form. 22 goals in 36 outings left him behind only Jamie Vardy in the leading goalscorers, and his relationship with Frenchman Alexandre Lacazette was equally as impressive. As demonstrated by Bwin’s ‘Goalscoring Partnerships’ infographic, Aubameyang and Lacazette are one of the most potent strike forces in the Premier League since the start of last season. This season is a different story though, with both yet to reach double figures as we exited February.
In fact, Aubameyang has just eight goals in the Premier League, and three of those came in one encounter against Leeds, whilst two of the total were from the penalty spot. At times, most notably against Manchester City, he has looked anonymous, with Jamie Redknapp telling the Standard that the striker is now ‘past his best’. If that is the case, then the Gunners should be moving to replace him over the summer, and add fresh attacking impetus to a forward line renowned for being full of pace, guile and goals.
There are plenty of exciting young players ready to step up to plate for one of England’s biggest clubs, and any one of these four would fit the bill perfectly.
Darwin Nunez – Benfica
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aki0EgtFN8U
21-year-old Nunez might still be a novice on the European scene, but there is plenty to suggest he could be the next big thing in world football. The Uruguay international started his career in his homeland with Penarol, moving to Almeria in 2019. He scored 16 times in 30 games for the Spanish side, before a bumper £21.8m move to Benfica last September. He is still young with a lot to learn, but he has already bagged 9 in 26 for Benfica, including a Europa League hattrick just a month after signing for his new club.
Patson Daka – RB Salzburg
22-year-old Daka has pace in abundance and could be the ideal replacement for Aubameyang. One aspect of Aubameyang’s career that has always helped him out is his international status – Gabon do not typically qualify for big tournaments and as such, he is often able to rest in otherwise busy summers for big players. Daka is the same; he is a Zambian international and unlikely to feature in a World Cup. His pace must be seen to be believed and this season, he has 18 goals in 21 outings for Austrian side Salzburg.
Odsonne Edouard – Celtic
With 20 goals in 33 games this season, Edouard certainly knows how to score, even if it is in an ailing Celtic side on the slide. The 23-year-old started his career with PSG, but cost the Glasgow giants £10m back in 2018. He’s since netted 52 times in 67 SPL starts, but as they approach a time of transition, it might be time for the French striker to move on. He seemingly has the right attributes to take his career to the next level, and Arsenal would be the perfect destination for him. There has been plenty of talk of a move to the Emirates already, too.
Boulaye Dia – Reims
24-year-old Dia might be a little older than the others on the list, but he would be no less of an impressive capture for the Gunners. The Senegal international has 12 goals in 27 outings for his club and could be described as a slow starter. Despite approaching his mid-twenties, Dia has only just risen to prominence. One attribute he has over some of the others on the list is his ability to create and score for himself, rather than relying solely on ammunition being provided from midfield or wide areas.
