Arsenal could not fault Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang if he opted to leave for Real Madrid, says Ian Wright, with an ambitious striker at a stage of his career where he needs to be a little selfish.
The prolific Gabonese is now 30 years of age and approaching the final 12 months of his contract with the Gunners.
No extension has been agreed to that deal as yet, with transfer talk now raging around a prized asset that those at Emirates Stadium cannot afford to lose as a free agent.
Wright is hoping that fresh terms can still be agreed with Aubameyang, allowing Arsenal to keep a talismanic presence on their books.
The ex-Gunners frontman can, however, appreciate that the lure of Santiago Bernabeu may prove too much for a player that wants to land more major honours before hanging up his boots.
Wright told SPORF when asked if Aubameyang can be kept in north London:
“I hope so.
“But if I’m going to sit here and speak about Aubameyang at the stage of his career that he’s at, maybe wanting to win things, maybe one last chance and people are saying that Real Madrid are sniffing around him.
“He’s somebody with the way he’s scored goals in his career, he probably wants something to show for it… I know he’s won stuff in Germany.
“But if he did [leave]… if he was somebody that was tempted away, I’m not sure that people could really fault him at this stage because you look at Arsenal and the current plight, you have to say we’re going through a transitional period, coming off of [Arsene] Wenger, coming off of Unai Emery and now getting the coach that I believe is going to take us to the promised land.
“It depends totally on whether Aubameyang has the patience to wait for this to kick in but if he didn’t I’m not sure at his age what people could say, he’s somebody that deserves to be playing at a level where he’s able to win things.
“Depending on his ambition, his people around him and what they’re saying to him, how much he loves the club – and I know he loves the club immensely – you have to pray that’s going to be enough for him to stay.
“But I’m not going sit here and say anything other than I wish him all the best with what he does but I pray to God he stays at Arsenal.”
