Barcelona was reportedly closing in on the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on Monday night after Arsenal agreed to let their former captain leave for free.
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Aubameyang will join Barca on an initial six-month deal, according to reports in the Spanish press, with an option to extend by a further year.

The signing did not have to be announced before the transfer window closed on Monday, as Aubameyang is reportedly a free agent.

He had earlier surprised Barcelona by travelling to the city, where his father owns a house, and negotiations appeared to have broken down over the striker’s salary.

Barca continues to be hampered by enormous debts, which amount to more than a billion euros.

The club were also unsuccessful in trying to offload Ousmane Dembele, who can now leave for free when his contract expires in the summer.
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But even with Dembele staying, the Aubameyang deal was revived hours later, as Arsenal agreed to let their former captain leave on a free transfer, allowing the Premier League club to shift the entirety of the player’s salary.

Aubameyang, meanwhile, is believed to have taken a significant cut on his Arsenal wage, which started at around 300,000 euros ($337,000) a week, to secure his move to Camp Nou.

Xavi Hernandez will hope Aubameyang’s arrival can prove a pivotal moment in Barcelona’s fight to finish in La Liga’s top four.

They sit fifth, a point behind Atletico Madrid, who they play at home on Sunday, when Aubameyang could make his debut.

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