Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has shared details about his difficult exit from Arsenal, attributing the fallout to a strained relationship with manager Mikel Arteta.
The striker, who became a fan favorite after joining the Gunners from Borussia Dortmund in 2018, played a crucial role in securing FA Cup victory in 2020 and was subsequently appointed club captain with a lucrative contract.
However, Aubameyang’s final year at Arsenal was marred by turmoil, culminating in his free transfer to Barcelona in January 2022.
In an interview with The Athletic, he reflected on the turning point in his relationship with Arteta, which he believes began with an incident leading up to a north London derby against Tottenham in March 2021.
“There was a (traffic) accident near my home; maybe I should have set off earlier, but you don’t know what will happen. He was p***ed off as it’s a big game.
“When we got to the hotel, he called me to his room and said I wasn’t going to play. He was strict. The rules are the rules. I felt hurt. I had tears because I wanted to play that game, badly.
“I didn’t want to hurt anybody. The next day we had a meeting and I stood up in front of everyone to say sorry. He also came to my house to speak, because he didn’t want this to be chaos.”
Despite their attempts to mend the relationship, the bond between Aubameyang and Arteta continued to deteriorate, ultimately leading to his departure from the club.
“I said, “It’s going to be OK”. But from then it was not the same.”
“I went directly to a team meeting. Everything was normal,’ Aubameyang said. ‘After that, he (Arteta) said, “Come with me”. This is where he started shouting. He said I could not do this because I was the captain and it was not acceptable.
“He said I gave him a knife in his back; I don’t know why he said that. I was really p**sed off because it was not true and he knew why I flew. He knew the reason and what was happening, he knew I was struggling that year. I was expecting help from him, not killing me like this.
“When I’m late, (and) it’s my fault – no problem. I always said sorry. But in this case, I’ll never say sorry. For taking my mum from Laval (his hometown in France) to London? No. Even if I came a day late, I would never say sorry. You understand or you don’t. If not, don’t give a day off or tell people they cannot fly.”
