Sam Allardyce claims he nearly signed Arsenal ace Aubameyang at Everton
The Gabon striker joined the Gunners instead last January but Big Sam wanted to bring him to Goodison Park instead in ambitious swoop
SAM ALLARDYCE has revealed he wanted to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during his time at Everton.
Big Sam spent six months at Goodison Park last season including the January transfer window and considered a move for the former Borussia Dortmund striker.
He was desperate to bring in a goalscorer to boost his side's chances in the second half of the season but had to settle with Cenk Tosun and Theo Walcott for a combined £47million but they managed just eight goals between them.
Aubameyang turned down Everton and joined Arsenal instead in a club-record deal worth £60m.
Speaking to , Allardyce, 64, said: "Aubameyang was desperate to come to the Premier League and we didn’t really know if it was definitely a yes [to Everton] or not – but it was probably not.
"The rumours were that he really wanted to come to the Premier League and he was desperate to come.
"Whether that could have happened or not, we never got that far.
"It was always going to be too much money for January, because of what the club spent previous to me arriving.";
Allardyce lasted until the end of the season, leading the Toffees to eighth before parting ways and being replaced by Marco Silva in the Goodison dugout.
By contrast, Aubemeyang has enjoyed life in the Premier League since arriving from the Bundesliga.
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He managed ten goals in the second half of last season and has continued his fine form this term.
Auba scored in the games against the Toffees on his Arsenal debut and then again in September but appeared to be offside for both goals.
His 14 league strikes is the same number Harry Kane has managed and only Mohamed Salah has bagged more, with 16.