It's not been a great few weeks for Arsenal fans, has it? Perhaps the sole consolation being Tottenham's 2-0 loss at the hands of Liverpool. Yet, missing out on a Champions League place after a 4-1 thumping by Chelsea must still be causing fans all sorts of pain. On the bright side, it couldn't get any worse - or could it?

It has today been reported that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the subject of interest from China. The Times have reported that Arsenal 'face a battle' to hold on to their prolific striker, with clubs ready to offer him £300,000-a-week. Given his current wage of £200,000-a-week less (as per Spotrac), alongside a lack of Champions League football, it could be a tempting offer. But what impact would his departure have on the club?

Simply put, Aubemeyang's sale would be nothing short of an absolute catastrophe. Yes, this perhaps sounds a tad dramatic. But with 32 goals in 49 Premier League appearances since his £56m move from Borussia Dortmund (as per BBC Sport), he is of crucial importance to this Arsenal team. The Gabon striker has forged a dangerous partnership with Alexandre Lacazette and produced a number of memorable moments throughout the season. None more so than his emphatic double against Tottenham.

The 29-year-old can play up top on his own, with Lacazette or on the wing, giving Arsenal a number of attacking options. He is also an instinctive and clinical finisher with pace to frighten any defence. Had Mesut Ozil been even close to his best during Aubameyang's time at Arsenal, perhaps his numbers would have been even more impressive.

Not only would his departure be thoroughly detrimental to the starting eleven, but to the squad as a whole. A brief glance instantly tells you that it's currently desperately short of attacking options. Danny Welbeck's contract is set to expire, while 19-year-old Joe Willock cannot be viewed as a genuine replacement. Where would Arsenal get their goals from? Indeed, Lacazette scored 13 league goals, but looking further down the list it becomes painful viewing.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan is next with just six, after all.

It's true, Arsenal did only finish a point behind Tottenham in fourth place. But their season was a one-off in many respects. It would be surprising should both Tottenham and Chelsea fail to improve. With Aaron Ramsey already set to depart, it looks worrying for the Gunners. Should Aubameyang also leave, their Champions League hopes could already be over.

Arsenal fans, what do you think? How would you fair without your star striker? Is he the most important player in the squad? Comment below...