Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke insists club can survive without star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang amid interest from Arsenal.
Arsenal have been heavily linked with a move for the Gabon international as Arsene Wenger looks to beef up his frontline options with their first Premier League title since 2004 in sight.
The Gunners were also interested in the forward at the start of the season but Aubameyang instead put pen to paper on a new five-year deal.
The 26-year-old is arguably the most in-form striker on the continent at the moment, but Dortmund insist they are not dependent on him at the club.
“We can never believe that a club like Borussia Dortmund is dependant on a player,” Watzke told German newspaper Bild. “We are not dependant on anyone.
“When Robert Lewandowski left, we found [solutions] and he [Aubameyang] even has three more goals than Lewa [this season]. “We are now so well positioned that we can offer alternative solutions again and again.
“[We want] our team to stay together. We do not have as much money as the top stars in the Premier League, but we have a lot of other things to offer. For example our players were able to celebrate Christmas.
Aubameyang has scored two more goals than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues this season (18).
For more stats on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, click here to visit his WhoScored player page
I'd hate to see him leave BVB; I'd hate even more to see him join the Gooners. What I don't understand is how the most well-attended team in Europe can't keep up financially with the other top teams. They're fun to watch, they develop players and scout as well as anyone, and they have massive home support. They should be able to keep up with anyone.