Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s first game for Arsenal may not happen against Everton on Saturday as the striker is recovering from illness.
The Gabon international was transferred to the London club from Borussia Dortmund for £56m on Wednesday – a club-record fee for the Gunners. Fans are looking forward to seeing the goalscorer lead Arsenal’s attack in the weekend’s clash against Everton.
But in a press conference on Friday, Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger said that the striker had not been able to train fully, as he has picked up a fever.
Wenger said the striker will be assessed by medicals on Friday, in regards to his potential Emirates debut on Saturday.
“I have to assess how well he is physically today and how well he feels,” Wenger said. “I will have to hear what the medics say.”
The Aubameyang saga became the biggest story of the January transfer window, where both Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud and Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi had to change clubs for the 28-year-old goalscorer to end up at the Emirates.
His impressive statistics in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund – scoring 98 goals in 144 apps – will hope to be a consultation to the Gunners’ loss of Chilean superstar Alexis Sanchez. Sanchez was swapped for Aubameyang’s former teammate Henrikh Mkhitaryian with Manchester United earlier in the January transfer window.
Sitting 6th on the table and trailing the top four by eight points, Wenger and his men are desperate to step up their game for the rest of the season. After suffering a 3-1 loss against Swansea last time out, fans pray that Aubameyang can be the man to turn things around.
Arsenal – Everton will be played at the Emirates stadium at 5:30 pm, Saturday 3rd of February.