Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta has reacted tersely to a leaked video of former Gunners’ captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang criticizing the Gunners manager.
Arteta and Aubameyang clashed at Arsenal, with the manager dropping the striker from the first-team squad last season after being unhappy with his off-the-pitch behaviour.
The clash led to the striker departing for Barcelona in February on a free transfer.
In the leaked video, Aubameyang made his feelings about Arteta abundantly clear following his departure, blasting his man management skills.
“Big characters and big players…he can’t deal with it. He needs some young players who don’t say anything,” Aubameyang said.
The now-Chelsea player put out a tweet trying to smoothen things over this week, while wishing his former club the best.
“Aware there is a video out that was recorded just after I arrived at Barça,” he wrote on Twitter. “At the time I still had a lot of bad feelings in me.
“Arsenal are doing great things this season and I wish all my old guys well, just not on November 6 [when they play Chelsea].”
Arteta was asked to comment on the matter himself and chose not to address his former player directly, praising the mentality of his current squad instead.
“People are free to discuss what they want,” Arteta said.
“I have never been in a better dressing room. 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.”