Aubameyang’s staying at Dortmund
Newly crowned African Player of the Year Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has spurned the advances of the Premier League stating he is staying put at Borussia Dortmund. For this transfer window at least. Aubameyang has been devastating for Dortmund this season and became the first ever Gabon footballer to win the award, beating of the challenge of Manchester City’s Yaya Toure from the Ivory Coast.
‘BRILLIANT’
Toure has won the honour for the last four years and admitted he was “quite disappointed” not to win the award again and make it five in a row, but was fulsome in his praise for “brilliant” Aubameyang. The striker has hit 18 goals in just 17 Bundesliga games this season and a total 68 in 119 games since he was signed from St Etienne by new Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp in 2013. Klopp’s in England but Aubameyang has no plans to follow him anytime soon, saying: “I am staying at Dortmund. I am so happy.”
PEP SET FOR EPL HOTSEAT
However, a big money summer move could see Aubameyang follow Pep Guardiola from the
Bundesliga to the Premier League as this week the Bayern boss announced his intention to manage in the EPL when he leaves Munich at the end of the season. Guardiola has been heavily linked with the elite English clubs given the pressure all of those managers have come under this season.
LVG AND SHIRT SALES
Louis Van Gaal has been heavily criticised for the style of play his Manchester United are employing – sponsors Adidas (who pay several hundred million dollars to the club to wear their brand) became the latest to voice their dissatisfaction with the manner of United’s performances despite revealing better than expected shirt sales. Across Manchester Manuel Pelligrini remains cool but must be feeling the heat from the continued speculation that Pep will replace him in the Etihad hot seat. City’s hierarchy is made up of former Barcelona men who gave Guardiola his chance to manage the Catalan giants and the rumour is the deal is all but done.
WIFE WANTS LONDON MOVE
However, this week it became widely reported that Guardiola’s wife has expressed her preference for a move to London and only two clubs really fit the bill as possibles for Pep. Jose Mourinho has already been sacked at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea’s awful defence of the Premier League title they won so convincingly last year. Guus Hiddink is back at the Bridge to try and get the players on form to salvage something from the season – perhaps
Champions League glory? – but his reign is expected to be short-lived and last only to the end of the season, as happened last time when he took over from the Brazil world cup winning boss Felipe Scolari. Arsenal may well be on their way to a first EPL title since the Invincibles more than a decade ago so many Gooners would not countenance replacing Arsene Wenger given all he has achieved at and for the club. But such is Pep’s potential to transform any (big, well financed, already dominant) team into serial title winners that other fans of the Gunners may see Wenger winning the EPL as the perfect moment for him to step aside and make way for Guardiola.
By: Joe Cahal]]>
