Aubameyang, Arsenal’s highest-paid player, reportedly had to accept a hefty pay cut to join Barcelona as the club doesn’t have a lot of salary cap space.
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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has confirmed a rift with his former boss Mikel Arteta after completing the move to Barcelona. The Gabon international switched to the Catalan club on the January transfer window deadline day after being stripped of Arsenal captaincy in December following a disciplinary issue. Aubameyang didn’t play for the Gunners after December 6, and was left out of their squad for their warm-weather training camp in Dubai. The 32-year-old striker has scored 92 goals in 163 appearances for Arsenal.
The awesomeness of @Auba pic.twitter.com/nWAUOKvTPR
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) February 4, 2022
Speaking at his official unveiling at the Nou Camp, Aubameyang said: “I think it was a problem just with him [Arteta]. I can’t really tell you much. He wasn’t happy and that was it. I can’t say anything else because that’s what happened. I wasn’t very happy and I’m better this way.
“There were some complicated months. Sometimes football is like that. If I had to say something about this, I would say, on my behalf, I never wanted to do anything bad.
“Now I have to put this behind me, that is in the past. I want to think about the present.”
Aubameyang, Arsenal’s highest-paid player, reportedly had to accept a hefty pay cut to join Barcelona as the club doesn’t have a lot of salary cap space. The 32-year-old leaves Arsenal after spending four years at the club, since joining from German club Borussia Dortmund in January 2018 for a club record fee of GBP 60 million.
“That was a very long, crazy day,” he added.
“I was with my dad at his house and I was just hoping that everything would work out well. They called me in the afternoon and said I could do the medical checks. I was a bit stressed, but everything was good in the end.
“It is true that I’ve not played for a little while, but in my head everything is very clear. I’ll be ready to play and help out soon. I know that we are going to go back to the top little by little.”
Leading the player’s unveiling in Auditorium 1899 was Barcelona president Joan Laporta, who suggested there would be a financial incentive for Aubameyang later down the line as a result of his salary sacrifice.
He said: “Everything has worked very well with this transfer. We are signing a top player who wanted to come to Barca, who made an effort, a sacrifice, to come here, which we appreciate very much.
“Once we have a more healthy financial situation, we will help you as you are helping Barca now.
The Catalan club recently signed striker Ferran Torres from Manchester City and Adama Traore on loan from Wolves. Barcelona boss Xavi was desperate to add more fire power to his attacking department and to a large extent, he has achieved his target.
Aubameyang is a proven goalscorer while Torres is one of the most promising young forwards in world football. And, 26-year-old Traore offers a completely different dimension, with his electric pace and supreme physical prowess.
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