The Catalan club are looking to improve their offensive options after they were forced to part company with talisman Lionel Messi this month

Barcelona are reported to have expressed an interest in signing Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this summer.

The Catalan club are looking to improve their offensive options after they were forced to part company with talisman Lionel Messi earlier this month due to their ongoing financial troubles.

The Argentinian’s departure leaves Barcelona with a distinct lack of firepower after he directly contributed to 44% of Ronald Koeman’s side’s goals last season.

Although the signing of Sergio Aguero on a free transfer from Manchester City will help to partially fill the void left by his compatriot Messi, the 33-year-old, who has been plagued with injuries over the past two seasons, is already set for a 10-week spell on the sidelines having recently picked up a calf injury.

That has led to Barcelona stepping up their interest in Aubameyang, with Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho, who the club signed for more than £142m from Liverpool three years ago, believed to be available as part of a potential swap deal.

Here, James Murray takes a look at whether the Arsenal man would be a good signing for the La Liga side.

Can Aubameyang fill the void left by Messi at Barcelona?

Although Messi’s departure from most clubs would typically free up a large chunk of change to invest and improve various areas of the squad, that is not the case for Barcelona.

Its president, Joan Laporta, described the decision to let the club’s captain leave as “sad but necessary” as he revealed on Monday (16 August) that the Spanish side are €1.35bn (£1.1bn) in debt.

The “dramatic” financial crisis also means the Catalans are unable to register any new signings without significantly reducing their current wage bill, which already exceeds La Liga’s strict salary limit. That means they must offload players in order to get anyone else through the door at Camp Nou.

That situation presents huge on-field issues for Koeman, as it is pretty clear the gap left by Messi – a player widely regarded as the greatest to ever play the game – can’t be filled by just one individual. And, even if there are some players out there that could go some way towards doing that, Aubameyang should not be considered as one of them.

That isn’t due to a lack of talent, but more so because his game is completely different to the way Messi plays. While the Argentine likes to pick the ball up from deep, drive at defences and create opportunities from various positions, Auba prefers to play on the last man or hang around the six-yard box for any opportunities, much like his potential new strike partner Aguero.

That means the Arsenal striker’s assists record is well below that of Messi. During his time in England, he has provided just 19 assists since January 2018, whereas Messi has created a staggering 83 goals for his teammates over the past four seasons.

Do the stats suggest Aubameyang is on the decline?

Although Auba has proven himself to be one of European football’s most potent goalscorers over the past few years, the Gabonese international’s performance levels dipped last season after he signed a new long-term contract with the Gunners last summer on significantly increased terms.

The 32-year-old forward endured his leanest season in front of goal for Arsenal, having scored just 10 goals in 29 Premier League fixtures. There were also spells across the season where he lost his place in Mikel Arteta’s side due to his lack of form in front of goal.

That surely has to be a worry for Barcelona. It’s no secret Arsenal are no longer the exciting, attacking outfit they once were, but is it really worth the risk of signing an ageing player that is already showing signs his career could well be on the decline?

Conclusion

It’s pretty clear that Aubameyang is not capable of replacing Messi. If Barcelona can, however, get him on a cheap deal and on reduced terms from his current contract with the North Londoners, then it could be worth the gamble for Barcelona.

The Catalans are in desperate need of pace up top and, if he can rekindle his form in front of goal, he could prove to be a valuable addition. But one thing is clear, the club will still need more additions if it is to fight for any trophies this season.