Arsenal Transfer News: Adrien Rabiot Targeted, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Rumours

Out-of-favour Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot is being lined up as one of Arsenal's latest targets, a list that includes Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as an alternative to Karim Benzema.

French outlet Foot 365 (h/t Telegraph) speculated a £20 million move for Rabiot is in the offing, with the 20-year-old's mother and agent, Veronique Rabiot, hoping to secure an exit from the Ligue 1 champions.

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According to the report, the lucrative haven of the Premier League ranks highly in their thinking, and the Gunners could make for a good fit in their bid to beef up Arsene Wenger's engine-room options.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Johnson references an article in French newspaper Le Parisien, which hints at Rabiot's apparent lack of "technical finesse" as being a discernible weakness in his game:

That opinion may not deter Wenger from investing in the youngster, though, who was sent off against Lille in PSG's Ligue 1 opener a little over a week ago.

Rabiot was publicly linked with a move away from PSG last year, but he penned a new four-year deal in October to end those rumours. However, Goal.com's Robin Bairner believes his mother's tactics are a concern:

The midfielder spent several months with the Manchester City academy before eventually joining the PSG setup in 2010 and rising through the France youth system, featuring for every age group from under-16 to under-21.

Rabiot has grown to make over 50 Ligue 1 appearances at PSG since making his debut for the French giants in 2012, but last year's exit debacle may concern potential suitors in assessing why PSG looked willing to let him leave.

In any case, the Emirates Stadium has been in awe of a former France under-21 player this year in Francis Coquelin, following his rise to prominence as a supposed solution to their deep-lying midfield void.

Wenger's favouring toward French youth makes the supposed interest in Rabiot viable, but £20 million seems a stiff price for a player yet to truly prove himself among PSG's first team.

Aubameyang Targeted as Karim Benzema Backup

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The Telegraph report also asserts Dortmund forward Aubameyang will be eyed as a secondary option for Arsenal if their pursuit of Real Madrid's Benzema fails to bear fruit.

However, any notion of the Gabon international leaving Signal Iduna Park at present seems questionable when considering he penned a two-year contract extension last month. The Telegraph provides quotes from Aubameyang upon agreeing his new deal:

"I'm absolutely delighted that the next years of my career will be spent at Borussia Dortmund. I feel very happy at the club, in this team and in this city. BVB has become like a second home to me. Every part of me wants to be here and I have never wanted to leave."

With five years left to run on that contract, Dortmund will feel at ease rejecting interest in their star forward, who netted a career best of 26 goals across all competitions last term.

In fact, there's only one Bundesliga player who's been more prolific over the past two season in Germany, according to Squawka:

The Benzema saga is one that's been running all summer long, with Arsenal hoping to secure an elite striker capable of rivalling or surpassing Olivier Giroud in the starting lineup.

Wenger may need his list of alternatives, too, after Tancredi Palmeri of beIN Sports reported Manchester City had lodged a €70 million (£50 million) bid for Real's star striker:

Aubameyang has made a seamless transition to the German top flight since moving from Saint-Etienne in 2013 and will be seen as an invaluable part of Thomas Tuchel's plans as BVB seek to make a Champions League return.

The Gunners' plot to acquire a world-class attacker looks set to linger on, and while Aubameyang's attributes may fit the profile, Dortmund aren't likely to let their talisman leave so close to the transfer window's close.