It seems Chelsea star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was resentful towards Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta following his Arsenal exit after a video showing his criticising the Spanish manager was leaked.
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In January, Aubameyang and Arsenal's relationship reached an irreparable end after the Gabonese repeatedly violated disciplinary protocol as club captain, with Arteta seemingly deciding the best course of action was to strip him of the captaincy, and then for the 33-year-old to be moved on. The striker went on to join Barcelona in January this year.
The French-born striker's exit from the Emirates Stadium was not the first time his professionalism was called into question – he was also suspended by Borussia Dortmund in 2018 for reportedly missing a team briefing.
Since his departure, the Gunners' form has improved, and now nine games into the 2022/23 Premier League season, they find themselves top of the table.
However, despite all the plaudits Arteta has received as a result, leaked footage of Aubameyang has emerged in the past 24 hours, in which he can be heard criticising his former manager.
"Big characters and big players... he can't deal with it," Aubameyang is heard saying in the video clip.
"He needs some young players who don't say anything."
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The former Gabon star has since spoken out about the video, stating that it was made soon after he had left for Barca, when he was still angry at Arteta.
"Aware there is a video out that was recorded just after I arrived at Barca," he wrote in a post on his official Twitter account.
"At the time I still had a lot of bad feelings in me – Arsenal are doing great things this season and I wish all my old guys well, just not on November 6 [when they face his current club Chelsea]."
Now, with his adventure in Catalonia over, Aubameyang has returned to the Premier League to don the blue of Arsenal's rivals Chelsea for the 2022/23 season, and has found the back of the net in two consecutive matches for the west Londoners.
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