Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a doubt for Arsenal debut due to illness as Arsene Wenger explains 'cryptic' transfer

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a doubt for his Arsenal debut this weekend after completing a £56m deadline day transfer this week, with Arsene Wenger confirming that the striker is suffering from sickness.

The 29-year-old Gabon international arrives at the Emirates Stadium needing to hit the ground running, with Arsenal already eight points off the top four and facing a lack of goal options due to the departures of Alexis Sanchez, Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott.

It has been a mixed week for Arsenal, with the positive news of Aubameyang’s arrival and Mesut Özil’s new contract offset by the 3-1 defeat at Swansea that leaves them clinging on to Champions League qualification via the league.

With both Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan set to be brought into the side, Arsenal can at least expect a rejuvenated attack for the remainder of the season – but fans might have to wait to see Aubameyang in the red and white of Arsenal.

“He started yesterday but wasn’t completely well,” Wenger said on Friday. “I will see with the medical department.”

The deal to sign Aubameyang – which saw Arsenal break their record signing for the second time in six months following last summer’s £52m acquisition of Alexandre Lacazette – was a complicated one that also depended on Olivier Giroud being sold to Chelsea and Michy Batshuayi being sent on loan to Borussia Dortmund to replace Aubameyang, with all three needing to be agreed before Arsenal were given permission to announce their move that resulted in a frantic deadline day.

“It was a difficult deal because Dortmund needed a replacement,” said Wenger. “It was a cryptic deal because Giroud went to Chelsea and Batshuayi went to Dortmund. That is why it was short in time and tense until the end.”

He added: “He [Aubameyang] is a typical striker with great pace and a good ratio between games played and goals scored. He is a team player. We lost some goals because we lost Sanchez, Giroud and Walcott who were our goalscorers.”

Arsenal face the visit of Everton this weekend that is likely to see Walcott return to the Emirates, fresh from scoring twice in just his second match as the Toffees beat Leicester city 2-1 in midweek.