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      Arsenal will NOT sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January transfer and will use Afcon break to get skipper back on side

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      ARSENAL want to use next month’s Africa Cup of Nations as a period to reset relations with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.The star striker is smarting after being stripped of the captaincy for breaches of club discipline.
      Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been exiled from the Arsenal first-teamCredit: PA
      But Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has no plans to cash in on the striker next monthCredit: REX
      But Arsenal are not planning to sell him in January and weaken their squad for the crucial second half of the season.
      Aubameyang has trained alone since returning late from a trip to France to visit his mother which had been sanctioned by the club.
      And he is unlikely to be involved in their last two Prem fixtures of the year against Norwich and Wolves before flying to Cameroon with the Gabon squad.
      The stand-off has sparked suggestions Arsenal will sell their top scorer who cost £60million when he was signed from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018.
      Barcelona and Juventus have been credited with an interest, although both would struggle to meet Aubameyang’s basic £250,000-a-week salary with various bonuses on top which can make it up to £350,000-a-week.
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      And the fact that he will turn 33 at the end of the season means his resale value is nowhere near the fee which Arsenal paid for him.
      But Arteta has no intention of allowing the player to leave.
      With Arsenal fourth in the table and in with a real chance of securing Champions League qualification for the first time since 2017, Arteta wants all hands on deck for the final push.
      Allowing Aubameyang (below) to go without securing another striker would leave them short in the event of an injury to Alexandre Lacazette.
      The situation is further complicated as Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are in the final few months of their contracts.
      Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy earlier this monthCredit: Getty
      Aubameyang has 18 months left on the lucrative deal which he signed in September last year and remains a key member of the squad in spite of his spell on the naughty step.
      Arteta, who accused the player of failing to demonstrate “the commitment and passion” to play for the club, feels he has made his point and is open to Auba’s return when his AFCON commitments are completed.
      Whether the player is so eager to let bygones be bygones is not so certain.
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      Arsenal exile Aubameyang could be offered career lifeline by Barcelona but wages could wreck January loan transfer

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      PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG could be offered a career lifeline by Barcelona – but his wages could wreck any potential move.The £350,000-a-week striker has been training alone since Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta stripped him of the captaincy last week.
      Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could prove too costly for Barcelona next monthCredit: Getty
      The 32-year-old is expected to stay away from the first-team squad until he jets off for international duty with Gabon at the Africa Cup of Nations at the end of this month.
      Italian giants Juventus have been linked with a move for the star over recent days as his Arsenal future remains unclear.
      Now the Daily Mail states that Barcelona have joined the chase for him as well.
      The Catalans want the veteran on loan once the transfer window reopens in January.
      Barca are desperate to bolster their attack following Sergio Auguero’s retirement.
      However, the cash-strapped LaLiga club could be priced out of a swoop due to the forward’s wage demands.
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      Arsenal appear happy to get the ex-skipper off their payroll.
      But they would want Barcelona to pick up the tab in full with regards to Aubameyang’s wages.
      And that is something the Nou Camp outfit may not be able to afford currently.
      They have also been linked with a number of other attackers.
      One of those mentioned is Manchester United’s Edinson Cavani.
      The Uruguayan has only made three starts for the Red Devils this term.
      He is out of contract in June but United are believed to be keen on keeping him at Old Trafford until the end of the season.
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      Worst Arsenal XI of the 21st Century, from Francis Jeffers, Gervinho but none of Mikel Arteta’s current squad

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      ARSENAL are a great club and poor players do not tend to play for it. It is more a case of players not quite being at the level we as fans expect, hope for, or indeed have been used to.
      The ex-Chelsea winger is one of many Brazilians in the team
      With regards to my rules when determining Arsenal’s worst XI of the 21st Century – a player must have played a minimum of 10 Premier League matches to qualify for consideration.
      This rules out failed signings that never truly played enough for us to judge.
      Secondly, the formation of the 11 will be 4-2-3-1, simply because it has been the predominant set up this century.
      Arsenal fan Dave Seager tells us below as he picks his very own team of North London flops:
      GK: Vito Mannone
      Since Jens Lehmann, Arsenal have not covered themselves in glory in this position with no goalkeeper truly getting close to the German Invincible or Seaman’s consistency.
      Of the average bunch I think Vito Mannone was the most disappointing, and the level of his career post 15 matches in seven years at the club probably bears this out.
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      RB: Nelson Vivas
      Many might shout Emmanuel Eboue, wrongly, or even Stephan Lichtsteiner after one awful season but I am opting for Nelson Vivas.
      I do so because in 2000 and 2001 as a full and regular Argentina international he was unable to edge out a 37-year-old Lee Dixon. Something a central midfielder Lauren was able to do when Vivas left.
      Nelson Vivas was unable to edge out a 37-year-old Lee Dixon during his stint at ArsenalCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      LB: Andre Santos
      In all honesty, this position has been a strong one for Arsenal for as long as I can remember with one notable exception.
      When the roll call for the century is Silvinho, Cole, Clichy, Gibbs, Monreal and now Tierney, only Andre Santos can be given this dubious honour. Enough said!
      CB: Igor Stepanovs and Sebastian Squillaci
      There have been many that have not quite been able to follow the likes of Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Sol Campbell and Kolo Toure – and many have tried.
      Of all the candidates, Philippe Senderos, Johan Djourou, William Gallas, Thomas Vermaelen, Pascal Cygan might stick their hands up but Igor Stepanovs and Sebastian Squillaci are easily the worst for me.
      They have 121 international caps between them too!
      RDM: Gio van Bronckhorst
      This is one of the most difficult areas for me because truth be told we have had so much quality over the past 21 years that whoever I pick it will be a harsh one.
      The easier of the two is Gio van Bronckhorst simply because for such a talented player he never managed to do what he was signed to do, which was to replace Emmanuel Petit as Patrick Vieira’s partner.
      His career at Arsenal was marred by injury but when fit he was often utilised as a left-back and failed to rival Ray Parlour for the position he was signed for.
      LDM: Denilson
      Alongside Gio, whilst it pains me to do it, I will have to opt for Denilson.
      It may seem harsh given the young Brazilian played over 150 games for Arsenal, but he never really made the shirt his own and his demise post leaving speaks volumes.
      Arsenal fans failed to see the best of Gervinho during his two years at the EmiratesCredit: Getty
      LW: Gervinho
      Again a position graced by Marc Overmars, Robert Pires, Antonio Reyes, Samir Nasri, Andrei Arshavin, Santi Cazorla, Alexis Sanchez and even Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang since the turn of the century, this position has been pivotal for Arsenal.
      Sadly, the gap and the blip came post-Nasri when Arsene Wenger invested in the wrong player from Lille. Gervinho shone in France with Eden Hazard and starred again in Italy. He singularly failed to shine or star in North London.
      RW: Willian
      After all the initial excitement, followed by seven seasons and seven loans Joel Campbell should have walked into my team but of course, that was before Willian.
      I have no idea what became of the Brazilian that played for Chelsea but no one has stunk quite like the £200k a week flop.
      CAM: Julio Baptista
      The second striker role I have given to Julio Baptista. After banging in goals for fun at Sevilla, Real Madrid beat Wenger and Arsenal to the Brazilian’s signature in 2005.
      Despite scoring 11 for the Spanish giants, he was allowed to leave on loan for the 2006/7 season and I along with most of the Arsenal faithful was super excited.
      I needn’t have been because he was a shadow of the player we all hoped for, managing only three goals in 23 league appearances. A massive disappointment.
      Francis Jeffers failed to make the grade at Arsenal after his early promise at EvertonCredit: Getty
      ST: Francis Jeffers
      There have been many strikers who have not quite made the grade at Arsenal in the 21st Century and there is even talk of a curse on the Number 9 shirt.
      Marouane Chamakh gets bad press but actually began like a train before falling under the huge shadow of an imperious RVP and Lucas Perez failed to breakthrough.
      However, for the sheer fall from grace and failure to deliver on early promise at Everton, my striker can only be Francis Jeffers. 
      He has the chance to partner the greatest striker the league had seen between 2001 and 2004 but failed to force himself past either Nwankwo Kanu or Sylvain Wiltord for the honour.
      Fuming Arsenal fans block Arteta’s car and demand he ‘LEAVE the club’ after their worst ever start to a season More

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      Arsenal need to ‘put in a massive transfer bid’ and buy Dominic Calvert-Lewin in January, says Paul Merson

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      ARSENAL have been urged by Paul Merson to go all out to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin as soon as possible. It comes after manager Mikel Arteta dropped and stripped Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from club captaincy.
      Arsenal have been urged by Paul Merson to go all out to sign Dominic Calvert-LewinCredit: Getty
      And with a void potentially needing to be filled, ex-Arsenal forward Merson named England and Everton’s Calvert-Lewin as the perfect replacement.
      He told Sky Sports: “Arsenal need to go out and buy Dominic Calvert-Lewin, as soon as he is fit.
      “Put in a massive bid for him. They need a focal point up front who is good and strong.
      “[He would go there] because it’s the Arsenal.”
      Calvert-Lewin, 24, scored 21 in 39 matches last season and earned him a spot in Gareth Southgate’s European Championship squad.
      But a fractured toe has kept him sidelined for most of this term, which had started with three goals in as many matches.

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      Aubameyang, 32, has not featured in Arsenal’s side since he was stripped of the armband for a series of ‘disciplinary breaches’.
      And he was most recently left out of the squad for the 2-0 victory over West Ham – his latest matchday snub at the Emirates.
      Striker Alexandre Lacazette, 30, led the line and took filled in as skipper on the day.
      Arsenal are currently eighth, two points and places above Everton and Merson said signing Calvert-Lewin would see them qualify for the Champions League again.
      He added: “Tell me a reason why they [Everton] are a bigger club than Arsenal? Arsenal are going to finish above them.
      “If Calvert-Lewin goes there, they can get into the top four.”
      Mikel Arteta dropped and stripped Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from club captaincyCredit: EPA More

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      in Soccer

      Arsenal icon Patrick Vieira says Gunners must find ‘positive leader’ after Aubameyang dramatically stripped of captaincy

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      PATRICK VIEIRA says the captain of a Premier League side must be a “positive leader” at all times.The Frenchman is regarded as one of the league’s greatest ever skippers and was a World Cup winner with his country in 1998.
      Arsenal stripped Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of the club captaincyCredit: Rex
      Patrick Vieira pictured in 2004 during a sparkling reign as Arsenal captainCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      His greatest club triumph was guiding Arsenal to Invincible status during the unbeaten 2003-04 season.
      The Gunners yesterday stripped Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of the club captaincy after his “latest disciplinary breach”.
      Vieira, now the Crystal Palace chief, spent nine years with Arsenal and his words on the subject carry great weight.
      The 45-year-old said: “I think as a manager you always want your captain to be one of the leaders, I’d say.
      “A positive leader — on and off the field. You want the captain to set the example.
      “Obviously, the captain always has to have a special relationship with the manager.
      “But to have that, you need to be a positive leader.”

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      The Aubameyang dropped by manager Mikel Arteta for Saturday’s 3-0 win over Southampton after arriving back late from an authorised trip to France.
      Arsenal confirmed: “Following his latest disciplinary breach last week, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will no longer be our club captain, and will not be considered for selection for Wednesday’s match against West Ham United.
      “We expect all our players, particularly our captain, to work to the rules and standards we have all set and agreed.
      “We are fully focused on tomorrow’s match.”
      Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta faces a dilemma as he decides on a new captainCredit: Getty More