Saudi club make Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang loan offer after striker returns from Africa Cup of Nations

Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr have offered Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a way out of Arsenal, according to reports.

According to CBS Sports, the Riyadh-based club submitted a proposal on Tuesday that would see them take Aubameyang off Arsenal’s hands until the end of the season when they would be obliged to sign permanently for €8 million.

The former Arsenal captain has fallen out of favour with the Gunners this winter and the club want to shift his £250,000-a-week salary off their books.

He was also stripped of club captaincy in December after what the club considered multiple disciplinary breaches.

He travelled to Cameroon to take part in the African Cup of Nations with Gabon but has now been sent back to London after doctors found “heart lesions” after a bout of covid.

Arsenal are yet to respond to the bid but would be happy to turn excess funds and attention to their top target, Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic.

Arteta has been coy on the strikers future, and admitted he knew few of the facts that saw him sent back to the United Kingdom.

“He is in London and now he is going through some examinations,” said Arteta.

“Because we haven’t had any clarity from the Gabon national team about the reasons why he came back so obviously it is our obligation to make sure that medically the player is safe, he is in good condition and not any issues related to that – and to try to avoid any suggestion that is the case because so far historically everything we have done with the player, he has never had an issue. Hopefully that is the case.