Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has urged his club’s fans to ‘thank’ Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang despite his controversial exit last year.
Arteta stripped Aubameyang of the Arsenal captaincy over disciplinary issues and the striker ended up leaving the club to join Barcelona in February 2022.
After an impressive spell in La Liga, Aubameyang returned to the Premier League ahead of the current campaign as he signed for Arsenal’s rivals Chelsea.
Aubameyang scored 92 goals across 163 games for the Gunners between 2018 and 2022 and won the FA Cup during his time in north London.
The 33-year-old returns to the Emirates on Tuesday as Arsenal host Chelsea and Arteta was asked about his former player ahead of the game.
‘Let’s say thank you,’ Arteta said. ‘Pay respect and gratitude for what he was.
‘He was an incredible player for us, scored a lot of goals, he was our captain, and he deserves that.’
Quizzed if he would remember Aubameyang for how his time at Arsenal ended, Arteta added: ‘Say thank you and be grateful.’
Arsenal have failed to register a win in their last four Premier League games in a massive blow to their hopes of winning their first title in 19 years.
But Arteta is urging his side not to give up in the battle with Manchester City just yet as he said: ‘We still have the nicest part of the season to play with five games to go.
‘When I look at it, this is not over. We can still achieve the Premier League because there are five games to go and a lot of things are going to happen still.
‘I’d pay a lot of money next season to be in this position, believe me.’
Chelsea are in poor form heading into the clash too, having lost all five games since Frank Lampard replaced Graham Potter as head coach.
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