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Arsenal can only sign Gunners fan Wilfried Zaha if they sell Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
ARSENAL will only be able to sign Wilfried Zaha this summer if they sell their star man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to David Ornstein.
The Gunners are feeling the impact of failing to qualify for the Champions League, something that was in their hands before they blew it in the final games of the Premier League season.
Failure to finish in the top four, or secure qualification by winning the Europa League, is believed to have restricted their budget to around £45million.
That means if Unai Emery wants to spend excessive amounts of cash this summer, he will have to fund a bigger budget through sales.
According to BBC Sport’s David Ornstein, Arsenal are keen on Wilfried Zaha and he favours a move to the club.
The winger revealed in an interview with Italian journalist Alessandro Schiavone back in 2017 that he is a Gunners supporter.
When asked which team the Palace star supported as a child, he said: "Arsenal. Still do.”
Arsenal would need to raise substantial funds to even get close to Crystal Palace’s £80million valuation.
Ornstein claims that the only realistic way of generating the finances to sign the Ivorian, would be through selling Aubameyang.
Of course, that would be a decision that would not be taken lightly at the Emirates Stadium.
The jet-heeled forward shared last season’s Premier League Golden Boot with Liverpool stars Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane after firing 22 goals.
Aubayemang has been linked with a move to China, but it remains unlikely that Arsenal would be willing to sell him given his importance to the side since he arrived from Borussia Dortmund.
Palace are keen to keep hold of Zaha and believe they now have the might to do so, after agreeing a deal worth £50million with Manchester United for the sale of Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Zaha revealed in an interview with the Daily Mail back in April that he wants to play Champions League football and he is prepared to leave Selhurst Park if it means he gets to play in Europe’s elite club competition.
“I’m too ambitious. And not ambitious just to play for a top club, but to win things at club level and with the Ivory Coast,” he said.
“For me to be better, to achieve what I know I am capable of, I have to aim to play at the very highest level, to win trophies. I'm blessed to have come this far in my playing career. But I feel like there is so much more I have to offer.
“I have to experience the Champions League. I just need the opportunity, that's it. And I'll do the rest.”