Aubameyang signed a new deal at the Emirates Stadium last September that made him one of the best paid players in the Premier League but he has struggled to live up to his billing since putting pen-to-paper on fresh terms.
The Gabon international has just one goal from 14 Premier League games so far this season and boss Mikel Arteta opted to leave him out of his starting eleven that lost 2-1 away at Everton on Monday.
Former top flight star Bent is of the view that with Aubameyang, Arsenal are facing a situation similar to ex-Gunner Ozil’s last few seasons in north London, as they are struggling to offload an aging player that is earning high wages.
Bent added that he fully understands why Arteta opted to not start Aubameyang on Monday as he is offering absolutely nothing on the pitch at present.
“They started off the following season [the 2020/21 season], I think the first game was Fulham, [Aubameyang] was fantastic, scored a good goal, got the contract and he has been a shadow himself”, Bent told talkSPORT while discussing Aubameyang’s situation at Arsenal.
“And I said it is like the Ozil situation all over again.
“We have got an over-aged player; he is not old but he is getting on an age that we cannot get rid of him.
“He is on really high wages so what do we do?
“And I can understand Mikel Arteta as well, but when you have got a centre-forward like Aubameyang, I was always one that said ‘you have got to play him, you have got to keep playing him because he is your best goal scorer, you have got to find a way, just keep playing him and he will get the goals.
“But I can understand from his point of view because at the minute he is offering absolutely nothing.
“You are playing with ten men.”
Arsenal are set to host Southampton in the league at the weekend and it remains to be seen whether Arteta will choose to bring Aubameyang back into the starting eleven.
