Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang reveals Mikel Arteta's message before he joined Barca

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has revealed Mikel Arteta did contact ahead of his acrimonious departure from Arsenal.

The former Gunners skipper joined the Catalan giants last month following a tumultuous deadline day which eventually culminated in him leaving the north London club by mutual consent.

Aubameyang was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy earlier this season following a disciplinary breach which also resulted in him being frozen out by his now former manager.

The 32-year-old, who scored 92 goals for Arsenal, including two in the 2020 FA Cup final win over Chelsea, has hit the ground running at his new club and scored a hat-trick on his first La Liga start on Sunday in a 4-2 win over Valencia.

Despite his relationship with Arteta turning sour towards the end of his four-year stint with Arsenal, Aubameyang revealed the Spaniard did wish him luck ahead of his move to Camp Nou and believes the 39-year-old inadvertently helped prepare him for Bacelona’s style of football.

Asked whether Arteta spoke to him before he signed for Xavi’s rapidly improving team, Aubameyang told Mundo Deportivo: ‘Yes, Arteta wished me luck at Barca.’

‘Some of the things we did with Arteta are similar,’ he added when asked to compare Arsenal’s style to that of his new employers. 

‘I still have to get used to it but I am eager to learn. When I see how the boys play I want to do the same.

Aubameyang will next be in action against Napoli on Thursday as Barcelona look to progress to the last 16 of the Europa League but will need a positive result after they were held 1-1 at home a week ago.

‘We are going to give everything and, personally, I am going to continue working as I have done since I arrived,’ said Aubameyang. 

‘I want to win games and I want to win this Europa League, so if we want to win it, we have to win this game.

‘Another hat-trick? I don’t know (laughs), but if we win it’s the most important thing.’

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