Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has revealed that he turned down a chance to play in the Premier League before signing for Borussia Dortmund. The Gabon front-man was much wanted after a scoring spell with Ligue 1 side Saint-Etienne and turned down an offer from Newcastle United, only to sign for the Germans later.
Speaking to French newspaper L’Equipe, the Dortmund striker made the stunning revelation that he had turned down a big-money offer, saying “I received an offer from Qatar of €10m per year (£7.83m).
“If I accepted, my family would be set up for life. We chose to stay at Saint-Etienne, where I got €70,000 per month (£55,000), knowing that, given my qualities, I could earn money tomorrow.”
Aubameyang scored 37 league goals in 87 games for Saint-Etienne, which meant that that the cash-strapped Ligue 1 club could capitalize on their striker’s form, cashing in on a big money offer from the Premier League.
However, Aubameyang revealed that he opted for substance over money, saying: “The following season, Saint-Etienne wanted to send me to Newcastle. We opted for Dortmund, the finalist in the Champions League, because my father studied Klopp's game, even though the pay was lower.”
As it turned out, Aubameyang made the right choice, with Newcastle struggling in the Premier League, mired in the relegation battle in 18th place, while Dortmund are the only credible challengers to Bayern Munich’s march to the Bundesliga title, with an 8 point lead.
Aubameyang's form making him a coveted striker
The Gabonese international did not enjoy the best of seasons under Jurgen Klopp last season, as injuries and a loss of form took their toll. However, Aubameyang has been revitalized under Thomas Tuchel’s reign this season, much like many of his teammates, as their good form propelled Dortmund to the top echelons of the Bundesliga.
In total, Aubameyang has scored 31 goals and 8 assists for Dortmund in just 33 games in all competitions, with all of his Bundesliga goals coming in the box. The Gabonese striker’s form has made him a big-money target for many top clubs in Europe, especially given the dearth of top strikers that are available.
The striker has been the subject of intense speculation, with him revealing in the same interview that he’d promised his dying grandfather that he would play for Real Madrid one day. However, with Manchester United rumoured to have lodged a €70 million bid with Dortmund, Aubameyang might have to reject the Premier League for a second time.
