The Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang saga at Arsenal has finally come to a close. With the star striker fixating on a loan move away from the club with the transfer window winding shut, Arsenal remained committed to their stance that they'd require any team, namely Barcelona, to take on Auba's wage in full. Well, it seems the team had a change of heart as the conclusion of the window inched closer. According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal shockingly decided to terminate Aubameyang's contract on Monday, paving the way for the Gambian striker to join Barcelona on a free transfer.

Arsenal and Barcelona had been locked in a stalemate after discussions between the two sides cooled off regarding a potential loan deal for Aubameyang. With the striker no longer in Mikel Arteta's plans, Aubameyang was angling to force a move away from the club.

He got his wish at the end, with the Gunners opting to get him off the books entirely and terminate his contract. It didn't take long for Barca to pick up the pieces, and they swooped in with a significant last-minute free transfer signing to bolster their attacking front ahead of the second half of the La Liga campaign.

Aubameyang enjoyed a tremendous stint in the Premier League with the Gunners. Across five seasons, Auba made 128 appearances, starting 115 matches. He scored 68 goals and added 16 assists during his tenure at the Emirates Stadium, but never managed to finish above fifth in the Premier League.

He's now set to join a Barcelona squad that's been lacking offensively following the departure of Lionel Messi to PSG. Barca find themselves in fifth place in the Spanish top flight after 21 games, desperate to launch themselves back into contention for Champions League qualification.