Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang reveals toxic fallout with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta

Former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has disclosed his tumultuous exit from the club, claiming manager Mikel Arteta accused him of putting "a knife in my back." The fallout began in December 2021 after Aubameyang returned late from a trip to France, leading to Covid-19 protocols and missed training. Arteta stripped Aubameyang of captaincy, isolating him, and instructing him to train alone. Aubameyang now works at Marseille.

Zor

May 31, 2024

Former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 34, has opened up about his tumultuous exit from the club, claiming that manager Mikel Arteta accused him of putting “a knife in my back.” The fallout began in December 2021 after Aubameyang returned late from an authorized trip to France to care for his unwell mother. Covid-19 protocols delayed his return by 24 hours, causing him to miss training.

Arteta responded by stripping Aubameyang of the captaincy, isolating him from the squad, and instructing him to train alone. Aubameyang described the confrontation as “crazy.” He recounted, “He says, ‘You put a knife in my back. You can’t do that to me, given the times we’re going through.’” Multiple disciplinary breaches, including lateness, had already strained their relationship. In March 2021, Aubameyang was benched for being late to a team meeting before a derby against Spurs.

During the January transfer window, Arsenal sought to offload him, culminating in a move to Barcelona after his contract was terminated in February 2022. Aubameyang, now at Marseille, admitted to struggling with mental health issues and turning to alcohol during this difficult period, revealing, “I’m sure I was depressed. There are attitudes that are seriously different from your daily life. For example, I started drinking a lot.”

Here is the highlight video of Aubameyang’s goals for Arsenal.