"It's the one missing cog in the wheel" – Piers Morgan names ex-Arsenal star who would have helped Gunners win 'crucial games' this season
British broadcaster Piers Morgan has asserted that Marseille striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would have helped Arsenal win vital games across all competitions in the 2023-24 season.
Aubameyang, 34, left the Emirates Stadium outfit on a free transfer in the winter of 2022 after suffering a significant fallout with Mikel Arteta. The ex-Chelsea man had his captaincy stripped and his contract terminated after returning late from a trip to visit his sick mother.
Speaking recently on the Up Front with Simon Jordan podcast, Morgan was asked to share his two cents on Arteta's handling of the 74-cap Gabon international. The Gunners fan replied (h/t football.london):
"I didn't agree with it because I liked Aubameyang and I felt that his big problem with Aubameyang, from what I gathered from people inside the club, was he was a bad timekeeper. I thought, 'In which case, don't make him captain'."
Providing insight into Aubameyang's fallout with Arteta, Morgan added:
"He turned up late for the [2-1] north London derby [win in March 2021], not too late for the game, but he was dropped, and benched, or whatever, and there was clearly a friction between an older player who just didn't respond very well to a rookie coach."
Opining on Arsenal's failure to convert chances this term, Morgan said:
"It's a shame because the one thing we probably need right now is an Aubameyang-like striker. It's the one missing cog in the wheel which Arteta has to get right. I look at the crucial games this season: the Aston Villa game we lost at home, the Bayern Munich home and away, and you look at those and think, 'If you had a proper striker, there were so many chances [to win]."
Aubameyang, who scored 92 goals in 163 games for Arsenal, relished an excellent campaign for Marseille. He scored 30 goals and provided 11 assists in 51 matches across all competitions for the Ligue 1 outfit.
Arsenal-linked star open to summer move
According to Mirror, Benjamin Sesko is interested in sealing a move to Arsenal this summer. The 21-year-old forward's agent Elvis Basanovic has been in attendance of the Gunners' matches this campaign.
Arsenal, who missed out on the Premier League title by two points this term, have recently been on the lookout for a striker. They are monitoring Evan Ferguson and Brian Brobbey apart from Sesko right now.
Sesko, who is also currently linked with Chelsea and Manchester United, enjoyed a fine debut season at Leipzig. The Slovenian registered 18 goals and two assists in 42 appearances, including just 22 starts.