Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been linked with a January transfer to Arsenal.

The 28-year-old has a superb scoring record in Germany but has been left out of the Dortmund squad for their trip to Hertha Berlin with a potential move to the Gunners on the cards.

Here, Press Association Sport look at five things you may not know about the Gabon international.

Football runs in the family

Aubameyang was almost destined to be a footballer as he followed in the footsteps of his father Pierre, a defender who was capped 80 times by Gabon.

His brother Willy played for Kilmarnock in 2011 and also has caps for Gabon – as does his eldest sibling Catilina.

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Lightning Bolt

After Usain Bolt set a new 100 metre world record in 2009, Aubameyang challenged the reigning Olympic champion to a run-off after claiming he could cover 30 metres in just 3.9 seconds and repeated the offer in 2016.

Award winner

Aubameyang won the Prix Marc-Vivien Foe award while at Saint-Etienne 2013, a trophy in honour of the late Cameroon international awarded to the best player in Ligue 1 who represents an African nation.

Two former Arsenal players to win the accolade are Marouane Chamakh and Gervinho while Andre Ayew and Sofiane Boufal are other Premier League stars to be bestowed with the honour.

Soccer – Ligue 1 – St Etienne v AJ Auxerre – Stade Geoffroy-Guichard
Aubameyang enjoyed a successful spell at St Etienne (Neal Simpson/Empics).

Crystal clear

In 2012 while playing for St Etienne, Aubameyang warmed up for a match wearing a pair of Nike boots encrusted with Swarovski crystals, with reports suggesting the footwear bling was worth £2500.

International choices

Having started out in the youth set-up at AC Milan, Aubameyang had the chance to play for the Italy Under-19s and then represented the France Under-21 side on one occasion before deciding to represent Gabon, for who he is now the all-time leading goalscorer with 23 goals.

Aubameyang has scored a record 23 goals for Gabon.
Aubameyang has scored a record 23 goals for Gabon. (Jed Leicester/Empics)