BBC pundit Alan Shearer believes the £350,000 a week contract handed to Mesut Ozil will be the keen reason why captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could leave Arsenal.

The Gabonese international has one year remaining on his current deal at the Emirates, and Shearer thinks Ozil’s astronomical salary will play a big role if the striker can’t agree an extension with the Gunners:

“Aubameyang situation with his contract… I don’t see him signing a contract there, I don’t. Because he’ll look at the salary Mesut Ozil is on and say, ‘Okay, give me that’.”

“And there’s no way they can give him that. It was a huge mistake to give Mesut Ozil that salary. He can’t even get into the team when they’re going to Brighton.”

It would be a surprise if Aubameyang was demanding parity with Ozil, in light of the financial impact of the global health crisis. There are likely to be a number of other factors in play.

The 31-year-old said last week that he needs reassurances from the London club that they are able to start challenging for honours again.

After two defeats from their two first two games following the lockdown, Champions League football seems to be off the table and Aubameyang will have a decision to make over whether he wants to stay and help the club rebuild.