KEY POINTS

  • Aubameyang scored 92 goals for Arsenal between 2018 and 2022
  • He left for Barcelona during the 2022 winter window
  • The striker returned to England as he joined Chelsea this summer

Mikel Arteta has said Arsenal's current dressing room is "better" than ever, taking a dig at former Gunners striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Aubameyang left Arsenal under controversial circumstances in January after he was stripped of the club's captaincy and had a fallout with manager Arteta. The Gabon national moved to Barcelona in the winter window before returning to England by joining Chelsea just six months later.

Following his exit from Arsenal, Aubameyang slammed Arteta, saying the manager "can't deal with" big players.

"We knew the coach, Xavi, then he called me and said there is an opportunity because you have those problems with Arsenal, but if you come you will help us a lot, so I said okay. But to manage big characters or big players, he [Arteta] can't deal with it. He [Arteta] needs some young players, they don't say anything, they listen," Aubameyang said in an interview, which was only released recently.

On the eve of Arsenal's Europa League match with Bodo/Glimt, reporters asked Arteta about Aubameyang's comments and the Arsenal boss replied, "People are free to discuss what they want."

Taking a further dig at Aubameyang, Arteta went on to say that his current squad is "more hard-working" than his previous players.

"I have never been in a better dressing room (than this season) – more enjoyable, more hard-working, a better relationship between staff and players and it is an absolute pleasure as a coach to be a part of this group," added Arteta.

In four-and-a-half seasons at Arsenal, between 2017 and 2022, Auabmeyang scored 92 goals and provided 21 assists in 163 appearances for the club in all competitions.

Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang demolished Leeds
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang spent four and a half seasons at Arsenal POOL / Catherine Ivill

The striker's short stint at Barcelona helped the Catalans secure the Champions League spot for the 2022-23 season. Aubameyang finished the 2021-22 campaign as Barcelona's joint-fastest scorer with 13 goals, along with Memphis Day. However, the Catalan club's financial difficulty — on top of Robert Lewandowski's arrival — pressed them to cash in on Aubameyang, who eventually returned to England.

Aubameyang has taken little time to settle at Stamford Bridge as he has already netted five goals and three assists in five competitive games for Chelsea.