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Liverpool will fight Manchester City to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

By Craig Pearson

MAINZ, GERMANY - JANUARY 29: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Dortmund looks on during the Bundesliga match between 1. FSV Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund at the Opel Arena on January 29, 2017 in Mainz, Germany. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images)
MAINZ, GERMANY - JANUARY 29: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Dortmund looks on during the Bundesliga match between 1. FSV Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund at the Opel Arena on January 29, 2017 in Mainz, Germany. (Photo by TF-Images/Getty Images) /
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Liverpool want to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the summer and will fight Manchester City all the way for the striker.

Liverpool are already looking towards the summer and ways to improve their team. One way looks like being to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund. The Reds want to sign the striker and will compete with Manchester City, according to The Sun.

Liverpool are happy to let Daniel Sturridge leave the club in order to fund a potential £40 million deal for the Gabon forward. West Ham United wanted to sign Sturridge in January, but Liverpool were unwilling to sell.

That will change in the summer, however, and the Hammers are expected to return for the England international. That would potentially then make room for Aubameyang. A player Jurgen Klopp already knows well after signing him for Borussia Dortmund back in 2013.

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Despite Klopp leaving two years later, Aubameyang went on to establish himself as one of Europe’s best strikers. It’s easy to see why Liverpool would want him. But there’s another problem still to overcome: Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola is currently having issues with Sergio Aguero, with the Argentine being dropped to the City bench. The arrival, and early success, of Gabriel Jesus has suddenly ploughed Aguero’s future into doubt.

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If Aguero leaves the club in the summer, then Aubameyang will be City’s first-choice replacement. Aguero causes a problem because he can only really play as a central striker, where Guardiola wants Jesus to play. Whereas Aubameyang could play anywhere in City’s front three.

So if City do end up going all out for Aubameyang, can Liverpool compete? Something that will help decide that, will be whether Liverpool qualify for the Champions League next season. At this point, the same goes for City.

Liverpool would also have the added bonus of Aubameyang knowing Klopp – provided there were no issues there, of course. But do Liverpool really need more attackers? The issue in the Reds team is in central midfield and at the back in defense.

Why spend £40 million on another attacker? Unless the club are set to spend much more than usual and cover everything. The team need a goalkeeper, at least two defenders and at least one, maybe two, central midfielders. Where are the club’s true priorities in the summer?

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For City, the Aguero situation will dictate. Although, it’s hard to believe that the club genuinely think the Argentine will stick around if he is not playing. So surely an Aubameyang raid seems likely.

But for Liverpool, even if Sturridge goes, is striker that pressing of an issue? Jurgen Klopp has some serious defensive issues and surely those issues must be the main priority at this point.

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