Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang makes flying start to life at Deportivo La Coruna

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has made an outstanding start to his first season with Deportivo La Coruna, scoring five goals and providing two assists in his opening five matches since moving from Marseille.

The 37-year-old Gabon striker has been directly involved in seven of his new club’s nine goals, helping Deportivo La Coruna make an unbeaten return to La Liga. The Galician side are sixth in the table after two wins and three draws, while also producing an attractive style of football.

Aubameyang joined on a two-year deal for a transfer fee of 1.5m euros and has scored against each of the teams he has faced so far. He found the net against Elche in a 1-1 draw on 17 August, Malaga in another 1-1 draw on 24 August, and Valencia in a 3-1 victory on 30 August.

He then produced his best performance of the campaign in a 3-2 win against Villarreal on 5 September, scoring and supplying two assists. His latest goal came in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Getafe.

His five goals leave him just behind the six-goal group of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha of FC Barcelona, Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid, and Sergio Camello of Rayo Vallecano.

Aubameyang announced his international retirement a few days ago and can now focus entirely on his club career, with Deportivo La Coruna the 11th club of his career.

Experience and fitness behind rapid impact

Remy Ebanega, Aubameyang’s former Gabon team-mate and now president of the professional footballers’ union in Gabon, said the forward’s success was no surprise to those who know him.

The former captain of the Panthers has quickly become the main attacking threat in a team where he is also one of the most experienced players. His goals have come in a variety of ways, including a header against Getafe, underlining both his adaptation to his new surroundings and his physical condition.

Patrice Neveu, who managed Gabon from 2019 to 2023, has also praised the striker’s form.

Ebanega believes the confidence Aubameyang has been given at Deportivo La Coruna has been central to his performances. His international retirement, combined with Deportivo’s absence from European competition, should also allow him to recover more effectively and avoid long, tiring journeys to Africa.

Thierry Mouyouma, who led Gabon from late 2023 until early 2026 and now manages reigning Gabon champions AS Mangasport, believes Aubameyang can maintain his high level for Deportivo La Coruna.

Opponents already on alert

Aubameyang’s statistics are likely to encourage Deportivo’s next opponents to pay him closer attention. Mouyouma described him as “one of the best strikers playing in Europe for around a decade”.

Deportivo La Coruna’s next match is their sixth league game of the season, at home to Sevilla. Betting company 1xbet lists Deportivo La Coruna at 2.35 to win, with a draw priced at 3.10 and a Sevilla victory at 2.95.