Aubameyang on Arsenal departure: Leaving without ‘good’ bye hurts

Aubameyang sends emotional message to Arsenal fans after signing contract with Spanish giants Barcelona until 2025; calls captaining Gunners an honour

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 32, has sent Arsenal fans an emotional message, saying leaving the club without a proper goodbye hurts. Arsenal said on February 1 that Aubameyang had left the club after a mutual agreement with Barcelona. The former Gunners captain was pictured training with his prospective new teammates after arriving in Spain January 31 before the transfer deadline. The Gabonese international, who was stripped of the club’s captaincy in December following a disciplinary breach, posted an emotional message on Instagram on Tuesday, thanking Arsenal fans for their support.

‘Nothing but respect’

“To the Arsenal fans, Thank you for making London home for me and my family for the past four years. We went through ups and downs together and your support meant everything to me. Having the chance to win trophies and the honour of being the captain of this club is something I will forever keep in my heart. I have always been 100 per cent focused and committed on doing everything I can for this club which is why leaving without a real goodbye hurts—but that is football. I’m sad I did not get the chance to help my teammates in the last few weeks, but I have nothing but respect for this club and truly wish all my guys and the fans all the best and many successful years in the future,” Aubameyang said.

During his four-year stint at Arsenal, Aubameyang scored 92 goals in 163 appearances and helped the club win the 2019 FA Cup. Barcelona on Wednesday announced they had signed Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang until June 2025 as a free agent. “It’s Auba time!” declared the club in a tweet which included a video of Aubameyang declaring “I’m here Barcelona fans! Forza Barca!” “The player will sign a contract until June 30, 2025, with an option to agree departure on June 30, 2023,” said the club on their web site, adding that the deal included a 100 million euros buyout clause. 

‘Fast striker’

“Aubameyang is a remarkably fast striker and has an eye for goal, having racked up over 300 as a professional. His powerful but accurate shooting have made him one of the most feared goal-getters in the European game,” said the statement. His previous club, Arsenal, on Tuesday released Aubameyang. That cleared the way for the striker, who was already in Spain, to sign for Barcelona as a free agent outside the transfer window which closed on Monday night.  Aubameyang is believed to have taken a significant cut on his Arsenal wage, which started at around 300,000 euros ($337,000) a week.

92
No. of goals Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored for Arsenal in 163 appearances

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