Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the “only world-class player” at Arsenal and the club have shown in the past with the likes of Aaron Ramsey that they struggle to retain such talent, says Kevin Campbell.
The Gunners find themselves in the all too familiar position of struggling to tie key men down on fresh terms.
Prolific frontman Aubameyang is under contract at Emirates Stadium until the summer of 2021, but no extension has been agreed beyond that point.
That is seeing questions asked of a prized asset and where his future might lie, with a big-money transfer being mooted for the next window.
Arsenal have seen the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Aaron Ramsey slip their net in recent times after failing to put new deals in place and Campbell believes Aubameyang will be assessing his options.
The former Gunners striker told AFTV: “I don’t think Aubameyang will come out publicly and say this, but he’ll be wanting to play European football, he’s a top striker.
“Will that influence his decision in the summer? Will it influence the decision in his head? He loves Arsenal but it’s a short career.
“Part of it is, Mikel Arteta and the board and the recruitment team have got so many plates spinning, they’ve got to weigh things up.
Getty“They’re out of Europe, that makes their window that much shorter of keeping him. Aubameyang is world class. He’s our only world-class player.
“Whether you like it or not, you’re judged on goals as a striker and his goal record stands up with anyone right now. End of.
“There’s the opportunity or possibility that we’re going to lose him and you know what, the club have not progressed or developed as much as he would’ve liked or we would’ve liked. That’s what is going to happen, we’re going to lose players.
“If the club had progressed I could tell you this much, Ramsey wouldn’t have gone, Aubameyang would’ve signed a contract, [Alexandre] Lacazette would’ve signed a contract. If we were up there challenging for titles, they would’ve signed, I can guarantee you that.
“But Arsenal are in a funk and going nowhere, going out to Olympiacos when we should’ve gone through tells you everything.
“So we’re going to get some money for him and I think he’s going to go. So what’s the plan? We’re going to need Arteta to be ruthless, cull, chop and change.
“He might not get the players the fans want, the names, but give me an Arsenal team that fight every game and I’ll be happy. You can’t blame him.”
There have been growing calls for Arteta to be backed in the summer with a transfer war chest, with there considered to be much restructuring work required at Emirates Stadium in order for Arsenal to become competitive once more.