Aubameyang reveals 'the only problem' that led to his Arsenal exit

The Gabon international left the Gunners after Mikel Arteta decided to freeze him out of his squad.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined Barcelona as a free agent after terminating his Arsenal contract on Tuesday. The Gabonese ended his four-year spell at the club on a negative note, leaving the club after his exile from Mikel Arteta’s squad.

The Spanish manager also stripped Aubameyang of his captain armband, which was the first sign of their heated relationship. In an interview after his move to Barcelona, the 32-year-old spoke about his last months at the Etihad Stadium.

He said (via Goal): “They were complicated months but I think that’s how football is sometimes.

“For my part I have never wanted to do something wrong and now I think that this is the past and I want to think about the present and right now that is my answer.

“I think the problem was only with Arteta and he made the decision. I can’t say much, I wasn’t happy and that’s it. It happened like that. I wasn’t very happy, I stayed very calm and that’s it.”

Aubameyang will now look to start a new chapter in his career at Barca as he replaces Sergio Aguero, who announced his early retirement in December. The Gabonese star can make his debut in the Blaugrana’s crucial La Liga match against Atletico Madrid on Sunday.