Arsenal Transfer News: Latest on Isco and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Rumours

Manager Arsene Wenger's attempts to bolster Arsenal's attack ahead of next season have been hit with a dual blow as potential targets Isco of Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will reportedly remain with their current clubs.

Both players boast the pace, flair and eye for goal to fit seamlessly into Wenger's squad and provide better support for marquee pair Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.

Isco would be one more attack-minded midfield playmaker for Wenger to combine with Ozil, Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey in the slick, one-touch football he loves. But fresh from winning the UEFA Champions League with Los Blancos on Saturday, Isco seems content to stay in the Spanish capital, according to the Daily Star's Marc Williams: "I hope to stay. If the club wants me here, I will stay."

The last line might provide hope for interested suitors, and the Gunners have been linked with Isco before. Back in February, Duncan Wright of the Sun cited unnamed reports in Italy that said Arsenal had reached an agreement with Real for "first refusal" on the gifted 24-year-old.

Yet, football journalist Guillem Balague ruled out Isco moving to the Gunners earlier this month, per Sky Sports La Liga:

While Isco's talent will always be intriguing to any club, it's easy to argue Arsenal already have enough creative players. Add Jack Wilshere and Alex Iwobi to Ozil, Cazorla and Co., and Wenger has all the flair he needs.

Yet all that flair will be wasted without better strikers to aim for.

Dortmund Deny Aubameyang Exit Claims

One striker sure to improve the Gunners' attack would be Aubameyang. His pace, clever movement, excellent technique and improved finishing would make him the perfect foil for Ozil's vision in the final third.

Martin Meissner/Associated Press

It seemed as though Aubameyang was set to leave Dortmund after Gabon national team manager Jorge Costa told RFI (h/t Vaishali Bhardwaj of the London Evening Standard) that “Aubameyang has asked not to be selected [for the national team] because he is changing clubs."

But as Bhardwaj also cited, Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke offered this rebuttal to German publication Sport Bild: "Is Aubameyang set to leave? That is nonsense."

Arsenal have had strong links to Aubameyang for a while, with French source Le10 Sport (h/t the Daily Mirror's James Whaling) suggesting the Gunners would bid £63.2 million back in late March.

Aubameyang has the class to instantly revitalise Arsenal's forward line, but it seems Wenger has other strikers in mind. French publication L'Equipe (h/t Matt Spiro of beIN Sports) named three other forwards on the Frenchman's radar:

Signing a top-class striker is an obvious priority for Wenger this summer after he's put off the problem for too long. Aubameyang would be ideal for Arsenal's style of play, but there may be easier alternatives to pursue.