Take a deep breath, Borussia Dortmund faithful; the worst is over. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is indeed no longer one of your own. He’s shed the black and yellow plumage he’s worn for over 4 years and now, at last, is transformed into the red-crested gunner he was perhaps always destined to be. Inevitable? Definitely. Terminal?
Aubameyang the great
Let’s face it BVB’ers, your guy, Auba, has stepped up. The Bundesliga has been mired in Bayern’s backwash for nearly two decades now. The German top flight has faced continuing and growing criticism for being “a one-team league”. There is surely some validity to that argument, but then to which of “the big 5” UEFA member leagues does that same characterization not apply?
The only one, of course, that is the complete exception to being a one or two-team competition is England’s Premier League. Indeed, I myself have begun to entertain the notion that the PL is on the verge of eclipsing UEFA’s Champions League in terms of prestige.
On that basis, you can’t fault a great player like Aubameyang for wanting to play at the highest level. He’s definitely got the quality and he deserves his chance to show it to the world. Auba needs a stage and there are few as grand as that offered at the Emirates.
“Henri Roi, le deuxième”?
In the wake of this week’s transfer, Aubameyang has already applied pressure of the highest order to himself by citing former Arsenal great, Thierry Henry, as a personal inspiration. He also is reunited with former Dortmund linemate Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Given Arsenal’s middling results the last couple of years Auba could be just what is needed to turn things around and even rescue Arsene Wenger. (Wenger too would be the first top-class manager Aubameyang will have played for since Jurgen Klopp left for Liverpool.) Kick in Lacazette and Ozil—with a brand new contract extension—and the opportunity is there for a new legend to be writ.
“The deeper you sink, the higher I think your glory will rise”
And Dortmund could be better without Aubameyang as well. His departure is not unanticipated as he’s been publicly seeking a way out since last summer. It is probably better to get it over with once and for all.
The club has other problems. Peter Stöger, Borussia Dortmund’s second coach of the current season, is already under fire. He is rumored to be outgoing in summer and, the way things are headed now, he may well be gone before May.
On the plus side, Michy Batshuayi has been taken on loan from Chelsea for the duration of BVB’s present league season. And the young Belgian may constitute something of an instance of “money ball”. That is, he seems to have a potential much greater than his current price tag.
His own untapped talents may be obscured with Chelsea by the other outstanding Belgians he plays against and alongside. He may be the forgotten man at this point. The challenge presented by what he is stepping into now could be just the thing to inspire him to show off a bit. He could return to England next fall a changed man and a much more sought-after one as well.
The departure of Aubameyang has also stirred the interest of Frenchman, Anthony Modeste. Modeste departed Köln last summer, but remains tied to Germany. He might relish a return with a club as competitive as Dortmund.
So long and thanks for all the instagrams!
Speaking of himself in the third person, as great figures of history so often do, Aubameyang signed off with BVB fans on social media on the deadline day.
He seemed genuine in his gratitude to his followers, and yet very forthright about his reasons. He’s ready to move on, to move up and to measure himself against the best.
Who would begrudge him that?
