Wenger drops Aubameyang hint as saga rumbles on

With a €70 million ($86 million) price tag on his head and a club-imposed suspension now served, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's future is up in the air.

But comments from Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger on Thursday have opened the door on a much-touted move to the Gunners and drawn the wrath of Dortmund officials.

"This kind of thing [the transfer] is better when it's secret and when you don't comment before announcing it when it's over the line," the French coach said, before adding that he believed Aubameyang would fit in to his squad.

"Yes because character can be a very positive note," Wenger said. "Overall you look at the achievement of a player over his career and when it's been positive the character has been used in a positive way."

Arsenal, who sit sixth in the Premier League, are also in negotiations over a deal to sell their own star man, Alexis Sanchez, to either Manchester United or Manchester City, with Henrikh Mhkitaryan likely to be used as a makeweight if a deal is struck with United.

But Dortmund's sporting director Michael Zorc was not happy with Wenger's comments and took a dig at Arsenal's underacheivement this term.  “We find it disrespectful to talk about players of other clubs. There has been no contact with Arsenal. We believe Wenger has enough on his plate with his own players.”

Peter Stöger, who became the third successive Dortmund coach to suspend the Gabonese frontman after he missed a team meeting last week, struck a more conciliatory note but stopped short of confirming that Dortmund's top scorer would start against Hertha Berlin on Friday night. 

"He wasn't an issue for us these last few days. We had a good, short talk on Monday. If nothing changes he's an option for tomorrow," Stöger said. "Match practice is important for every player, maybe especially for younger guys. But for any club, particularly for a club like BVB, performances are the most important thing.

"I told Aubameyang what I want to see from him, that he gives it all in training. At the end it's up to him to qualify for the team and do what's necessary to be a part of it. Until I hear there's a personnel change he's part of my plans."

Aubameyang has 13 goals in 15 Bundesliga games this term for Dortmund but would have to compete against Alexander Lacazette, the French striker who became Arsenal's record signing when he joined for €53 million from Lyon at the beginning of the season.