One former Arsenal star has opened up about the struggles he endured after Mikel Arteta moved him on from the club.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Arsenal career ended on a sour note.
At his best, the Gabonese striker was a talismanic figure for the club during a period when the Gunners generally struggled. He was on the books at the Emirates Stadium between January 2018 and February 2022, making 163 appearances for the club and scoring 92 goals, across all competitions.
The 34-year-old won one major trophy in his time in North London, as he played a key role in delivering the 2020 FA Cup triumph, only a few months after Mikel Arteta was appointed manager. Aubameyang scored twice in the final.
However, the forward’s relationship with the Spanish coach soured. Aubameyang was bombed out of the first team picture and stripped of the captaincy after returning to Arsenal late from a trip to visit his mother. His contract was cut short and he left the club by mutual consent having been cast aside by the boss.
Iconic former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger supported Arteta’s call, and Aubameyang’s overall form since leaving the club certainly suggests that the Gunners parted company with him at the right time from a purely footballing perspective.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opens up about depression after Arsenal exit
Aubameyang has now spoken out about his mental state around the time of his Arsenal exit. Speaking to Colinterview, he revealed: “I’m sure I was depressed. There are attitudes that are seriously different from your daily life. For example, I started drinking a lot. It was a difficult passage. It started a little before I was fired from Arsenal.
“So yes, it was depression, I think that personally it was related to the state of health of my parents. It affects a man, it was difficult.
“Often we say that we have to talk about it, there’s no shame in that.”
Aubameyang deserves huge credit for his honesty and courage in speaking out about these issues.
Arsenal and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang both back on the up
With the dust now settled on his Arsenal departure, there is room to remember the good times he enjoyed at the club. The former Gabon international was a shining light for the Gunners in an otherwise fairly grim era of the club’s recent history.
He is now enjoying his football again with Marseille, and scored 30 goals for the French side this season.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are now back to competing for the biggest prizes in the game. Arteta is now planning a summer overhaul to try to surpass Manchester City next season.