Patrick Kluivert Says Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Is Good Enough for Barcelona

Former Barcelona striker Patrick Kluivert believes Arsenal star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could play for his old club.

Kluivert, who is now assistant manager of Cameroon, discussed possible replacements for Barca No. 9 Luis Suarez during an interview with Sport360 (h/t Goal's Tolu Olasoji): "I don’t see a lot of players who can play in Barcelona. Aubameyang, perhaps he can play."

While he talked up Aubameyang, Kluivert opted for Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford as his top choice to eventually replace Suarez, calling the 21-year-old England international "the best one."

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Kluivert knows a thing or two about playing as a No. 9, having led Ajax to a UEFA Champions League win in 1995, before scoring 90 goals during an injury hit six-year spell at the Camp Nou.

Of his choices, Aubameyang is the more prolific of the pair, having found the net 18 times in all competitions this season, including 15 goals in the Premier League.

His latest league goal, a penalty during the Gunners' recent 2-1 win at home to Cardiff City, meant Aubameyang has outpaced a few legends of the north London club:

By contrast, Rashford has hit 10 goals, including nine in England's top flight, although he's been on a prolific run since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho as United manager.

WhoScored.com's Martin Laurence noted how Rashford has netted six league goals since Solskjaer took over. Laurence has attributed the run to how much more often Rashford is taking shots on, detailing how the United academy product has produced 4.95 shots per every 90 minutes, trailing only Fabio Quagliarella of Sampdoria, Barca ace Lionel Messi and Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo.

Rashford's growing influence means United are going to be unwilling to let him leave, even if a club the stature of Barcelona come calling. In fact, the Red Devils have reportedly started talking to Rashford about extending his contract, per Sky Sports.

It's also unlikely Arsenal would let Aubameyang go since the 29-year-old only joined the club from Borussia Dortmund last January. He's formed a potent partnership with Alexandre Lacazette and remains essential to the Gunners' hopes of returning to the UEFA Champions League on head coach Unai Emery's watch.

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Barcelona can turn the heads of many players, though, and would struggle to find better choices if they set about replacing Suarez sooner rather than later.

Like Aubameyang, Rashford can also play wide, a versatile trait likely to appeal to Barcelona, where the Blaugrana favour fluidity along the forward line.

However, also like Aubameyang, Rashford is more effective through the middle. Even so, the question remains whether Barca should even be thinking about replacing Suarez.

The latter is 32 but still scoring freely, having notched 16 goals in all competitions so far this campaign. Aside from his goals, Suarez is also still a useful link player who can operate with his back to goal and bring others into play.

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His movement also remains some of the most perceptive around.

Barca shouldn't rush to replace the Uruguay international just yet, even though either of Aubameyang or Rashford would make solid replacements.