Former Liverpool and Republic of Ireland striker John Aldridge has made known his displeasure with Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for his decision to move to the Chinese Super League in his column for The Herald [via Independent.ie], as he seems convinced that rejected Liverpool to do so.
Despite the usual tabloid links, there has been absolutely nothing to suggest that Aubameyang was ever on the cards as a Liverpool signing this summer, with neither the club expressing concrete interest, nor the player expressing a desire to play for any club other than Real Madrid. And yet, Aldridge has reacted as if the Gabon international laughed in Jurgen Klopp's face.
Right from the headline it doesn't make much sense; 'John Aldridge: Liverpool have had a lucky escape by not signing greedy Dortmund star Aubameyang'.
To suggest that Liverpool were actually 'lucky' to 'escape' signing one of the most dangerous strikers in world football, who just beat Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Munich to the top goalscorer award in Germany, even before you consider how thin the club's striking options were last season, is stunning.
And yet, that is what Aldridge has claimed, but not before slamming Aubameyang as a mercenary, and explaining his disbelief at his decision to move to China.
PIERRE-Emerick Aubameyang could have been a dream signing for Liverpool this summer - but the Borussia Dortmund striker appears to be ready to join the ranks of sporting mercenaries instead.
Aubameyang is reported to be on the brink of sealing a move to Chinese football and for the life of me, I cannot understand why any serious sportsman would want to go and play in that third-rate league.
Aside from the obvious monetary reasons, Aubameyang wants to play for Real Madrid one day, that is his ultimate goal. If he can't achieve that, he likely doesn't have a personal attachment to any club.
Granted, money is never going to sit well for everyone as a reason to move away from European football, but Aldridge seems to have difficulty understanding that not every footballer shares his romance for Anfield.
Yet it seems as if money is more important to Aubameyang than sporting ambition and for that reason, Liverpool may have had a lucky escape by not signing him.
Playing in the Champions League, challenging for the Premier League title, working with a great manager like Klopp and playing in front of incredible fans at Anfield every week should be what any footballer wants.
Every footballer should want to soak up the Anfield roar with a liverbird emblazoned on their chest, accoring to a man born in Liverpool.
If it had a whiff of 'Brexit' about it up to this point, where the Premier League is the only place to be and it's unfathomable to think of someone choosing an inferior league, Aldo then crossed the point of no return, questioning a foreigner's passion and desire.
I would have walked over hot coals to get a chance to play for Liverpool and while I wouldn’t expect a foreign player to have that kind of passion and desire, anyone who is willing to move to China at the age of 28 is not worth talking about.
Aubameyang might be able to buy a few nice boats or fancy cars after a couple of years in the Chinese Super League, but I bet he will look back on his career one day and think he made a mistake.
He probably won't.
A move to Liverpool was never on the cards, so he's not going to be kicking himself for rejecting a move he never actually rejected, and if he does, he can ponder it in one of his nice boats and fancy cars, that he earned because a club decided they want to pay him more than twice what Robert Lewandowski is earning at Bayern Munich.
John Aldridge is a good man, and was a very good footballer, but to blast someone for taking a stratospheric pay-rise at the expense a move to Liverpool which, again, was not going to happen, is well wide of the mark. We've criticised Paul Merson for it, and Ray Wilkins recently too, because it's time to accept that the Premier League has changed.
You can read Aldridge's argument in full over on Independent.ie.
