Report: Arsenal confident of signing Aubameyang for club-record fee

Life after Alexis Sanchez might not be so bad as Arsenal has held positive talks with Borussia Dortmund over the capture of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to Dominic Fifield of the Guardian.

January is gearing up to a be a busy month for the north London side, with reports indicating Sanchez could soon join Premier League rival Manchester United in a deal that could also include Henrikh Mkhitaryan heading south to the Emirates Stadium.

Along with its attempts to add Brazilian prodigy Malcom from French club Bordeaux for around £40 million, Arsenal has stepped up its efforts to add Aubameyang, who could cost as much as €60 million (£53.3 million), Fifield reports.

The Gabon forward was excluded from Dortmund's squad ahead of Sunday's draw with Wolfsburg after being issued a one-match ban for missing a team meeting the previous day. Aubameyang's issues off the pitch may be a sticking point for manager Arsene Wenger but the need to fill a possible void left by Sanchez may be too great to scupper a transfer for last season's top Bundesliga scorer.

Arsenal's new head of recruitment, Sven Mislintat, was instrumental in helping lure Aubameyang to Dortmund when he was employed by Der BVB. He's expected to play a vital role convincing Wenger that the 28-year-old's issues at Dortmund will not continue if he makes the Premier League switch.

Finding a replacement for Aubameyang also has the potential to derail an agreement between Arsenal and Dortmund, but Fifield notes the German side could be persuaded if Gunners forward Olivier Giroud is included in the deal.

Aubameyang's possible arrival could coincide with the signing of yet another former Dortmund player if Arsenal is able to acquire Mkhitaryan from United as part of an agreement for Sanchez.

A move for Malcom, however, may have to wait until the summer after Bordeaux chief Nicolas de Tavernost insisted the Brazilian would remain with the French club beyond the January window.