Manchester City director of footballTxiki Begiristain has personally evaluated Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as Manchester City step up their pursuit of one of Europe's deadliest finishers.
Real Madrid are thought to be the front runners for Aubameyang's signature, but City are not prepared to sit idly by and let the La Liga giants snap him up without a fight, according toThe Sun.
Aubameyang is viewed as the perfect long-term replacement for Sergio Aguero - currently serving a three-match ban following a horror tackle on Chelsea's David Luiz last week - with his electric pace and prolific goal-rate making him a particularly attractive proposition.
Imagine him & Aguero up front...
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could be on his way to Man City according to the papershttps://t.co/AjIDXEUqYU pic.twitter.com/ghQHSUoEP2
The Gabon striker is expected to make a big-money move away from Dortmund in the summer, having been heavily linked with a move away last year, and it was hintedthat Madrid have edged ahead in the race.
Indeed, Aubameyang's mother claimed the player had made a promise to his lategrandfather - a Real Madrid supporter - that he would play for Los Blancos. That would appear to suggest that playing for Madrid is a lifelong dream of Aubameyang's and City may find it difficult to convince him that a move to the Etihad Stadium is a better move for his career.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has now scored 19 goals in his last 17 games across all competitions for Dortmund.
Vital goal. pic.twitter.com/xbin8Fa1Gi
Borussia Dortmund CEOHans-Joachim Watzke felt compelled to deny reports that the German club had reached an agreement with Madrid over Aubameyang's transfer, having been spotted at lunch with Florentino Perez.
"It's right that I had lunch with Florentino Perez and we sat next to each other in the stadium," he told Bild. "But we did not spend one second talking about players of Borussia Dortmund. There's no agreement."
Aubameyang has scored 99 goals in 163 appearances for Dortmund since signing from Saint-Etienne in 2013.