Arsenal sign striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in club record transfer

Arsenal have bolstered their attacking line-up by signing striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund on a long-term contract for a club-record fee, the Premier League club said on Wednesday.

British media reported that the deal was around 56 million pounds ($79.2 million), eclipsing the 46.5 million pounds paid to French side Olympique Lyonnais for forward Alexandre Lacazette last year.

Aubameyang scored 98 goals in 144 Bundesliga games for the German side and had a hand in 172 goals in 213 matches in all competitions for his former club. The 28-year-old is Gabon's all-time top goalscorer with 23 goals from 56 matches and was named the African Footballer of the Year in 2015.

"Apart from the unimpressive results of the last few weeks, we can remember that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's history with BVB has been a success story for more than four years," said Dortmund's sporting director Michael Zorc.

The Bundesliga side agreed to the deal after appearing set to complete a loan move for Chelsea's Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi.

Aubameyang links up with former Dortmund team mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan after the Armenia midfielder moved to the London club from Manchester United last week, with Chile forward Alexis Sanchez going the other way.

Aubameyang, who joined Dortmund from St-Etienne in 2013, helped the club win the German Cup last year.

Mourinho on Sanchez

New Manchester United signing Alexis Sanchez can act as a catalyst in the development of fellow forward Marcus Rashford, manager Jose Mourinho said.

Chile international Sanchez, who joined United from Arsenal last week, impressed on his debut for the club days later, setting up Rashford for the opener in a 4-0 FA Cup fourth round victory at League Two Yeovil Town.

Rashford's strike took his goal tally to double figures for the season. "The kid is having a hell of an experience at every level so there is an amazing future waiting for him, and being surrounded by these players can only help him," Mourinho said ahead of Wednesday's Premier League clash at Tottenham Hotspur.

Rashford burst onto the scene with a brace for United against Midtjylland in the Europa League in 2016 and has quickly established himself as a key member of the squad. "Marcus's story is quite interesting because he started playing with (former manager Louis) Van Gaal when the team was really in trouble to have options, and then the monster that kills the little kids arrives but he plays every game."

The 20-year-old has played a part in all 24 of United's league games this season and has featured in every match in the Champions League and domestic cup competitions. "Rashford is a very important player for us... He plays every game -- starting or coming from the bench as a striker, as a left winger, as a right winger," Mourinho added.

United are second in the league table with 53 points and trail runaway leaders Manchester City by 12 points.