Aubameyang suggests ‘only’ Arteta forced him out of Arsenal

Former Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has said the Gunners manager Mikel Arteta was the reason he was forced out of the club.

Arsenal announced on Tuesday that the Gabon international left the club by mutual consent. Media reports said he was paid a $7-million severance pay.

The 32-year-old had not played for Arsenal since December 6 after returning late from a trip to France. He was also stripped of the captaincy band.

READ MORE: Arsenal free Aubameyang to join Barcelona

Aubameyang told the media during his formal introduction at Barcelona on Thursday that the decision to freeze out of the squad was Arteta’s.

The forward suggested that he did not intentionally return to London from the club-sanctioned trip and that Arteta’s decision left him sad.

“He wasn’t happy, I can’t tell you more,” Aubameyang said. “He wasn’t very happy, I was very calm.

“My last few months at Arsenal were complicated, that’s football sometimes. For my part, I never wanted to do anything wrong.

“My problem was only with Arteta. I can’t say much more, I wasn’t happy.”

Aubameyang joined Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018 and won the Premier League Golden Boot in his first full season in 2018/19.

He scored both goals in the 2020 FA Cup final win over Chelsea and scored again at Wembley as we won the FA Community Shield against Liverpool at the start of last season.

READ MORE: ‘I’m here!’ Aubameyang tells Barcelona fans after delayed signing

He captained the Gunners for the past two-and-a-half seasons and made 163 appearances, scoring 92 goals in all competitions for the club.

He joined Spanish giant Barcelona on Monday.

Aubameyang took a significant cut on his Arsenal salary to complete the move although it is likely his terms will improve after this season, when Barcelona’s salary limit is due to increase.

“The player will sign a contract until 30 June 2025 with an option to agree departure on 30 June 2023 and his buy-out clause will be set at 100 million euros,” a Barcelona statement read.

Aubameyang’s surprise move brings an end to an increasingly embittered spell at Arsenal, who will be relieved to be rid of his wages, which reportedly started at 300,000 euros ($337,000) a week.