Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang won't be affected by Barcelona 's financial cuts as the Spanish club's board reportedly plot to slash the current squad's wages by a staggering £136million.
The Gabonese forward joined the La Liga giants at the end of the January transfer window following an unceremonious Arsenal exit. In the wake of a high-profile fallout with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, Aubameyang's £350,000-per-week Emirates contract was mutually terminated, clearing the way for him to head to the Nou Camp on a free transfer.
The shamed striker took a significant wage cut in order to join the cash-strapped Catalan club, who appear set to step up their efforts to rebalance the books as they remain embroiled in a crippling financial crisis. The Barcelona board are understood to be eyeing mass wage cuts to a number of the club's stars, however, Aubameyang appears exempt.
According to La Vangaria, the Barcelona board will once again ask the club's players to volunteer for pay-cuts in a similar fashion to the savings approach made last summer. Back then the likes of Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba all agreed to amend their contracts and claim a reduced wage in order to allow the club to register new signings Sergio Aguero and Memphis Depay.
The Spanish outlet insist the Catalans are making yet another economic effort as they seek to lower the current squad's wage bill, understood to be in the region of £476m, by a mammoth £136m. Aubameyang and fellow January signing Ferran Torres, formerly of Manchester City, will reportedly be left out of the financial restructure plans alongside Pedri, Ansu Fati and Ronald Araujo, with the trio having recently agreed to new deals.
However, a significant number of the squad will be affected by the cuts. The likes of Samuel Umtiti, Miralem Panic, Riqui Puig, Oscar Mingueza and Clement Lenglet have also all been told they are surplus to requirements.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Do you think Barcelona will be able to afford Robert Lewandowski this summer? Comment below .
The onus to take a substantial salary cut once again appears to be falling on the shoulders of Pique, Busquets, Alba and Sergi Roberto, however the latter is understood to be close to reaching an agreement over a renewal which will see his wages slashed by 50 per cent. Barcelona face a battle to persuade such names to accept further reductions, which would see the club make a fourth economic change in three years.
While negotiations over salary changes with Busquets are said to be "very complicated" as the 33-year-old enters the final year of his Barcelona deal, the club remain confident Pique in particular will agree to reduced terms having been the first to accept a substantial wage cut last year. Following his decision, the 35-year-old told Movistar: "I was born and raised here. I have done what I had to do.
"With the reduction, we have been in contact with the captains and I know that they will also take the step, it is a matter of timing. I did it quickly for the registrations. We are a family. We will fight together."
Meanwhile, Barcelona remain hopeful of striking deal to land Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski. The prolific Pole has also made clear his intentions of heading to the Nou Camp.
However, given Barcelona's financial crisis, a deal remains difficult. La Liga boss Javier Tebas recently declared the Spanish side cannot afford the 33-year-old unless they sell at least one prized asset.
Such comments irked Blaugrana president Joan Laporta, who hit at Tebas over the claims. But Barca's economic vice president Eduard Romeu, the man who is actively encouraging the club's financial cuts, admitted players must be sold before any attempts to land Lewandowski can be made.
