Aubameyang: Deportivo La Coruna back sporting director’s ‘not just a big name’ signing

Deportivo La Coruna insist Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been signed for his hunger and physical level rather than his reputation, after confirming the 37-year-old striker on a two-year deal.

The veteran Gabon forward joins the Galician club as they return to La Liga, in one of the most eye-catching moves of the Spanish summer window. Deportivo, newly promoted to the top flight, believe Aubameyang’s experience and goal threat will be central to their bid to consolidate their place among Spain’s elite.

However, the decision to hand a multi-year contract to a player in the late stages of his career has prompted debate in Spain, with some analysts questioning whether he can cope with the pace and intensity of La Liga at his age.

Scepticism over age and fitness

Aubameyang’s long-established reputation as a prolific scorer at the highest level is not in doubt, but the striker’s physical durability has been a focus of scrutiny.

Several commentators argue that a club coming up from the second tier would be better served investing in younger, more durable profiles rather than taking what they view as a gamble on a 37-year-old. Concerns have been raised about the possibility of injuries and whether he can sustain his output across a full season in one of Europe’s most demanding leagues.

Those reservations have surfaced quickly since the transfer was announced, with critics framing the move as a sentimental or marketing-driven choice rather than a strictly sporting one.

Deportivo, though, are adamant that Aubameyang’s current condition, rather than his birth certificate, drove their decision.

‘We didn’t sign him just for his name’

Sporting director Fernando Soriano moved to address those doubts directly in an interview with news agency EFE, stressing that Aubameyang had convinced the club on the pitch and in the dressing room.

«J’ai deja dit qu’on cherchait des joueurs experimentes, qui pouvaient venir combler nos carences. Je veux etre clair : l’arrivee d’Aubameyang, on ne la fait pas juste a cause de son nom. Loin de la. Ce qu’on a vu de lui nous a impressionnes, son attitude, sa faim, son engagement, sa capacite a defendre… Il a un age avance, mais physiquement ca ne se ressent pas. Nous sommes convaincus qu’il va nous apporter ce qu’on cherchait».

Soriano underlined that Deportivo had been targeting players with proven top-level know-how to plug gaps in a squad stepping back into the top division, and that Aubameyang matched that brief in full.

Experience and profile

Beyond his anticipated role on the pitch, Aubameyang’s arrival adds a significant level of international visibility to Deportivo’s return to the spotlight.

The forward, who has built a global profile across a distinguished career, is seen by the club as a figure who can attract attention to a side re-establishing itself in La Liga, potentially boosting the club’s commercial appeal and media exposure.

Deportivo believe that combination of sporting impact and global stature can be decisive in the short term as they adjust to the higher standard of the top flight.

The club maintains, however, that footballing arguments were decisive. Soriano and his recruitment team are convinced Aubameyang’s mentality, defensive work and physical condition will allow him to meet the demands of the campaign despite his “advanced age”.

As their return to La Liga approaches, Deportivo are standing firmly behind a signing they view as a calculated, strategic move rather than a nostalgic roll of the dice.