The Argentina international has attracted interest from the north London club during the current transfer window, despite the Spanish outfit maintaining they have no intention of parting with their star forward – though pressure from supporters could yet spark a departure.
The forward found himself on the receiving end of loud jeering from the home crowd as he made his way onto the pitch at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano for Sunday’s league encounter between the two sides.
The 26-year-old striker has been suggested as a potential departure from the club this summer, with Arsenal and Barcelona mentioned as possible destinations.
However, any prospect of a switch to new surroundings for the upcoming season appeared to have been ruled out earlier this summer when it was confirmed that the player would not be sold for anything less than his £428million release clause.
This comes despite the forward having publicly expressed his wish to consider other opportunities and holding discussions with the manager about his future.
This has not gone down well with the club’s supporters, who made their feelings clear during the match against Villarreal on Sunday.
The forward was left out of the side for their opening league victory over Malaga on Wednesday, but returned to action against the Yellow Submarine – though dropped to the substitutes’ bench with Lookman and Lee Kang-in leading the attack.
As the striker emerged from the tunnel towards his position on the sidelines while his name appeared on the team sheet display, a wave of loud jeers and whistles rang out from some of the 70,692 spectators present.
Whether the forward can win back the affection of the club’s fans in the coming weeks remains uncertain, though Arsenal continue to monitor the situation ahead of next month’s transfer window closure.
Having failed to secure the signing of Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid, the club still possesses significant funds to spend as they wish.
Should the forward remain uncertain about a potential Premier League return, Arsenal have identified other targets to strengthen their forward line.
Victor Osimhen has emerged as one possibility, with reports suggesting discussions are taking place with Galatasaray regarding the Nigerian marksman.
With competition from London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, along with a substantial wage demand of approximately £17.1m to factor in, a move for the 27-year-old may prove complicated, particularly given his impressive form in the Turkish league since joining last summer.