Arsenal have made an official bid to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke has confirmed.
After sitting out last weekend's stalemate against Wolfsburg for disciplinary reasons, Aubameyang did not travel with Dortmund for Friday's 1-1 draw at Hertha Berlin.
The striker has been linked with Arsenal as a replacement for Alexis Sanchez, who appears set to join Manchester United in a deal that could see Henrikh Mkhitaryan move the other way.
And Arsenal have now stepped up their interest, with an offer for Aubameyang reported to be worth €50million.
"I can confirm that there has been a first request from Arsenal for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and we are not commenting on the sums that have been mentioned," Watzke was quoted as saying by Ruhr Nachrichten.
It is believed Dortmund will demand upwards of €60m for Aubameyang, who has scored 13 goals in 15 Bundesliga appearances this term.
Despite ongoing uncertainty around the 28-year-old's future, sporting director Michael Zorc and Peter Stoger suggested he could be reintegrated if he remained at Signal Iduna Park following the transfer deadline.
"I felt like he was busy with many things but not this important match. That's why he wasn't with us," said Stoger after the draw against Hertha.
"If he is also playing football all the time next week and there are photos of him [a reference to Aubameyang reportedly playing in a five-a-side game on Friday], then he will be in the squad against Freiburg."
