Arsenal must break the bank to keep hold of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Kevin Kevin Campbell,
He also said the Gunners have been guilty of messing around when it comes to their star striker’s future.
Aubameyang has lived up to his reputation as one of Europe’s most deadly striker since joining Arsenal from Dortmund in January 2018.
The 30 year old has hit 61 goals in 97 appearances for the Gunners since joining the club.
He currently boasts the fourth best goals per-game ratio in Premier League history behind Thierry Henry, Harry Kane and Sergio Aguero.
Arsenal have yet to offer him an extension on his current deal, which is due to expire in 2021.
Aubameyang confirmed as much during an interview with Telefoot at the weekend, stating:
âThey know very well why so far nothing has happened.
They have the keys and it is up to them to do their work and, after that, we will see how things go.â
Campbell says the Gunners have backed themselves into a corner and that they are unlikely to find anyone better to come in and fill his boots.
âAubameyang guarantees you goals, and if you sell your goals youâre in a very difficult position to replace them,â the ex-Arsenal striker told talkSPORT.
âHeâs guaranteed to get you 20 goals a season, minimum, so how are you going to replace that?
âIf you donât give him what he wants, itâs going to cost more to find someone to replace him, and even then they are not proven they can come in and do it.
âHeâs in the building! Yes, heâs going to be 31 but heâs still lean, heâs still sharp, heâs still fast and this is the type of player you build around.
âI donât know what theyâre thinking at the club, but Iâd have signed him a year ago!â
The Gunners back then ended up selling both Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie due to poor contract planning.
And Campbell sees history repeating itself with Aubameyang unless the club gives in to his demands.
âI think Arsenal have shot themselves in the foot yet again,â he added.
âTheyâve played a game and theyâve taken a risk hoping that theyâll qualify for the Champions League.
So that would obviously push him to be signing, but it isnât quite working out this season.
âItâs a very, very dangerous game that theyâre playing.
The backroom people and the hierarchy said they would never put themselves in this position again.
But what have they done? Theyâve put themselves in this situation again!
âThe club has been run so poorly on the transfer retention side, they keep putting themselves in this very difficult situation and itâs not right, fans are going to go crazy about it.
âI think Aubameyang is right to put the ball firmly in their court and itâs now up to Arsenal to make some moves and prove to him that theyâre serious.
As an Arsenal fan I want him to stay, of course I do, but if Iâm Aubameyang, Iâve been at Arsenal all this time and they have been messing around!
âWhat Arsenal have been doing, skimping and scraping, is not going to turn his head to stay.
If Mikel Arteta wants to keep him they have to break the bank to keep him, they have to.â