Aubameyang misses Dortmund's trip to Berlin amid Arsenal rumours

Arsenal target Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was excluded from Borussia Dortmund's trip to Hertha Berlin because his mind isn't fully focused on Friday's match, the German club's sporting director, Michael Zorc, said Friday.

The decision to leave Aubameyang at Dortmund's training ground stoked rumours of an imminent switch to Arsenal, as the Gunners have reportedly been in negotiations to sign the 28-year-old before the end of the January transfer window.

On Thursday, Zorc denied suggestions that Arsenal had initiated negotiations or submitted any offer. He also labelled Gunners manager Arsene Wenger as disrespectful for discussing a potential move in the open.

Aubameyang has now been left out of three matches this season for non-football reasons. He was sidelined in November for shooting an unauthorised video on club property and omitted from last weekend's contest against Wolfsburg after missing a team meeting. A lack of punctuality also cost him a Champions League appearance in November 2016.

His performances on the pitch, however, have yet to disappoint. Aubameyang has scored 21 goals in 23 matches across all competitions this season.