Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has spoken out about his difficult relationship with manager Mikel Arteta, which ultimately led to his departure from Arsenal.
The player, who joined Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018, has enjoyed a remarkable spell with the Gunners, scoring 92 goals and registering 20 assists in 163 appearances.
However, his relationship with Arteta began to deteriorate midway through the 2021-22 season.
In a recent interview with The Athletic, the footballer revealed that the tension between him and Arteta stemmed from a misunderstanding over his arrival time after a trip to France to care for his ill mother.
The words of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
“My mistake. I should have come back the day before, but I arrived in the morning. I didn’t say I would miss the flight because I was preoccupied with my mother’s business (medical exams), I went straight to a team meeting.
Everything went normally. After that, he (Arteta) said to me: Come with me. That’s when he started screaming”, he said.
Aubameyang claimed Arteta’s reaction was unwarranted and hurtful, especially given the circumstances.
“He said I stabbed him in the back, I don’t know why he said that. I was really upset because it wasn’t true and he knew why I stole.
He knew why and what was happening, he knew I was struggling that year. I expected him to help me, not kill me like that”, he added.
Aubameyang was reportedly traveling to urgently visit his ill mother, but the incident sparked his departure from the club.
Mikel Arteta stripped him of his captaincy and kicked him out of the squad before both sides agreed on a mutual termination.
