The world of football is filled with a multitude of what-if transfer moves, which include how Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was once close to signing with Tottenham.
Aubameyang joined Arsenal from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund over the 2018 winter transfer window. He has since gone on to make the most out of his run with the Gunners, from the 92 goals scored in all competitions to the pair of domestic trophies won.
However, Aubameyang could have instead signed with Tottenham years before.
In a fan question and answer session with Sky Sports, Aubameyang was asked a hypothetical on whether he would sign with Tottenham or opt to instead retire. The answer was an obvious one for him, but he then shed some light on the extra motivation he has when facing Spurs.
“You don't need to ask the question, you know it already, I would retire,” Aubameyang said. “Even more because I don't know if you know but like a few years ago I was close to signing for Tottenham and at the end, I don't know what they did. So, I would retire for sure.
“I was in St-Etienne I think [at the time], I'm not sure, or at the beginning of Dortmund. I don't remember exactly.
“I came here, I went to the stadium as well to White Hart Lane. The day after they just never gave an answer, they never called back so I was like, ‘Ok, don't worry', so that's why every time I play against them, they know.”
This is not the first time that Aubameyang has opened up about this what-if transfer move. Amid his standout third season with Dortmund, he was linked with Tottenham but noted in March 2016 that he would not entertain such a move because of “the way things were done” in his failed transfer to Spurs in 2012.
The veteran Arsenal forward has had grand success in clashes with Tottenham thanks to the seven career goals scored against them in all competitions.
Aubameyang is currently in his fifth season with the Gunners, where he has so far scored seven goals on the campaign.