4:30 AM ET
James OlleySenior Writer, ESPN FC
It looked astatine 1 signifier arsenic though Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would go the talisman of Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, yet present helium is the awesome of a dysfunctional play the Gunners look to beryllium leaving behind.
Aubameyang signed a caller three-year declaration with Arsenal successful September 2020 -- worthy an archetypal £250,000-a-week positive generous add-ons -- with the purpose of becoming "an Arsenal fable and to possibly permission a legacy." He surely near a legacy, though it is much analyzable than anyone could person imagined backmost then.
Following a gradual deterioration successful his narration with Arteta, Aubameyang went from skipper to castaway. He was punished, ostracised, and was past allowed to articulation Barcelona connected a escaped transportation successful February, wherever helium spent six months earlier returning to London connected the presumption helium could play nether 1 of his erstwhile bosses who inactive admired him, Thomas Tuchel, lone for the German to beryllium sacked by Chelsea six days later.
On Sunday, the Blues big Arsenal astatine Stamford Bridge with a 10-point spread betwixt the 2 sides, meaning the 33-year-old volition travel look to look with Arteta and the squad it was felt would turn amended without him for the archetypal time. The marks from that play are inactive visible. The tattoos surely are. Such was the extent of feeling and the velocity of translation that this play volition apt spot Aubameyang enactment up wearing Chelsea's No. 9 shirt, with a tattoo connected his close limb of himself (together with 2 his children) wearing Arsenal's No. 14.
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Even assemblage creation was a bony of contention by the extremity of his clip astatine Arsenal. In February 2021, determination were suggestions Aubameyang had breached COVID-19 rules by getting a tattoo connected his hand, 1 of respective disciplinary issues which gradually eroded his lasting successful the squad. Sources told ESPN astatine the clip that determination wasn't 1 large incidental which prompted Arsenal to portion with Aubameyang, much a bid of insignificant breaches which undermined the professionalism Arteta was demanding from his squad.
Among the assorted misdemeanours, Aubameyang was reported to person missed a cause test, turned up precocious for aggregate meetings and, arsenic 1 root enactment it, regularly requested clip distant the group. Some of that was compassionate permission to sojourn his unwell mother, Margarita, but determination was a presumption wrong the nine that helium was not showing capable dedication portion besides risking COVID-19 complications related to his further travel. He is mostly viewed arsenic a gregarious and fashionable character, though his flash cars and garish manner tin beryllium divisive, particularly for those who worth humility and discipline.
When it came to parting ways, Arteta was ruthless. Last December, Aubameyang was stripped of the captaincy, forced to bid unsocial and yet allowed to permission connected a escaped transfer. Aubameyang was bitter. Footage leaked recently from his aboriginal days astatine Barcelona shows the 33-year-old delivering a withering appraisal of Arteta.
"Big characters and large players ... helium can't woody with it," Aubameyang said. "He needs immoderate young players who don't accidental anything."
Aubameyang has since distanced himself from those comments by claiming: "I inactive had a batch of atrocious feelings successful maine -- Arsenal are doing large things this play and I privation each my aged guys well, conscionable not connected Nov. 6."
Allowing Aubamayeng to depart came astatine a precocious price. Arsenal did not motion a replacement and with conscionable Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah to telephone on, the Gunners were abbreviated connected firepower and conscionable missed retired connected Champions League qualification.
Yet the nine believed the longer-term taste displacement Arteta had implemented was worthy the short-term hazard and this season, pursuing a summertime of shrewd investment, that presumption is reaping dividends. Arsenal are apical of the Premier League with Gabriel Jesus mounting the code for the Gunners successful astir the other mode to Aubameyang; often, the ex-Gabon international's publication was a extremity and small else, whereas Jesus presses relentlessly, generating abstraction and chances for others done his relentless moving and intelligent movement.
Jesus' seven-game extremity drought is simply a interest but offset by his publication to the remainder of the team. Aubameyang's publication was measured astir wholly successful goals. He became the fastest subordinate successful Arsenal's past to scope 50 Premier League goals (in 79 games) and his objective interaction was important successful winning the 2020 FA Cup, a cardinal crushed wherefore helium was handed specified a lucrative declaration aboriginal successful the year. Yet aft signing that deal, helium scored 13 goals successful 43 league games arsenic his power waned. This made it a small easier for immoderate Arsenal fans to tummy Aubameyang's departure, but this weekend's clash gives the striker a accidental to beryllium suggestions of his imperishable diminution were premature.
There was a statement astatine 1 clip implicit whether Aubameyang would beryllium revived playing done the mediate arsenic opposed to disconnected the near wing, wherever helium had been astatine his astir effectual for Arsenal, but Arteta was ne'er afloat sold connected the idea. On Sunday, helium volition apt commencement arsenic a centre-forward for Chelsea.
Aubameyang had hoped moving with Tuchel again could trigger a play of calm aft a turbulent year. Tuchel had spoken glowingly of Aubameyang erstwhile successful the midst of the enactment with Arteta, remembering fondly their narration astatine Borussia Dortmund, wherever the striker scored 79 goals successful 95 appearances until joining the Gunners successful 2018.
New Chelsea brag Potter has besides spoken glowingly of Aubameyang's cognition -- peculiarly successful notation to his betterment from a horrifying robbery astatine his household location successful Barcelona which near him with a breached jaw -- and has been mindful of his carnal workload, dropping him to the seat for league games against Brentford and Brighton successful the past fortnight. Aubameyang has conscionable 1 league extremity to his sanction for Chelsea -- against Crystal Palace connected Oct. 1 -- and Potter volition beryllium seeking a effect from his players aft a chastening 4-1 decision astatine his erstwhile nine Brighton past weekend.
Aubameyang is the latest successful a agelong and costly enactment of forwards aiming to interruption the alleged "No. 9 curse" astatine Chelsea, which has seen Romelu Lukaku, Fernando Torres and Alvaro Morata, among others, underperform successful caller years. Sources person told ESPN that Chelsea were keen connected signing Aubameyang 2 years agone but Arsenal pulled retired each the stops to clasp him connected that caller deal. This weekend, Aubameyang has a accidental to punctual everyone wherefore helium was erstwhile truthful successful demand.
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