'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has seen his performances called into question after putting pen to paper on a new deal with the club.
The 31-year-old ended the last campaign in a shroud of mystery regarding his future as he had just one year left on his deal with the Gunners amidst links with clubs abroad including Barcelona and Real Madrid.
However, after much speculation, the Gabon international finally put pen to paper on a new deal, reportedly worth £250,000/week, which would cost the club a total of £36m over the duration of the contract.
The former Borussia Dortmund man has been in fine form since joining Arsenal in December 2018 and jointly won the Golden Boot in his first full season at the Emirates.
His total of 72 goals from just 115 matches for the Gunners is indicative of his abilities, and there was widespread jubilation among fans of the club when he signed the new deal.
Aubameyang began the season brightly, netting the winning penalty in the Community Shield victory over Liverpool. He also scored the third goal of the 3-0 win against Fulham on the opening day.
However, he has failed to find the back of the net since then, and an assist for Bukayo Saka on matchday 2 against West Ham is his only other goal contribution.
Darren Bent gives his opinion on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's form for Arsenal
The Arsenal skipper has subsequently seen his performance this season called into question, especially considering that other top-level forwards like Mo Salah, Heung-Min Son, Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy have started the campaign on fire.
Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Darren Bent has also weighed in on the Aubameyang situation and stated that the Arsenal skipper has not been the same player since signing the new deal.
Speaking on a TalkSport Podcast, Bent said:
''It's not the fact he hasn't scored a goal, it's the performances. Before he signed his contract he was absolutely everywhere - running back, tracking back, putting tackles in, breaking forward. There was a real hunger and intensity to his game.''
"At the minute, you can see there's been a massive drop off. I don't know if it's coincided with the new contract, but you can tell that he's not playing with the same intensity that he had before.
"When you focus so much on getting a new deal like Aubameyang did, you'll run that extra yard and make that extra effort.''
''When he sits down now and analyses his performances before and after the contract he'll see that there's been a massive change."
Regardless of the current criticism he is facing, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang remains one of the best strikers in the world, and it is only a matter of time before he gets back to his best.
