Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, explained to the squad why he was removing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as club captain, in the latest episodes of All or Nothing: Arsenal.
Aubameyang was allowed to fly to France in early December for family reasons, but he returned late and failed to report to training on time.
Arteta was furious, with the Gabon international already having a history of bad time-keeping.
Aubameyang was forced to train alone, stripped of the captaincy and eventually had his contract ripped before he joined Barcelona on a free transfer in January.
“I have to announce you something. Following the last disciplinary issue that we had with Auba, and the consequences that I decided to take not to involve him in the game, I thought carefully – myself and the club – what was the next step.
“And we have decided as a club that he is no longer our captain, so you should know that. The other decision is that, for now, he’s not involved in the squad. I will make decisions further along the line,” Arteta told the stunned players.
He added:
“The club and myself we are not going to accept any behaviour like this, and what we are building goes completely against any behaviour like that.
“So if we are going to have any meaning in changing our culture – and making sure we become a different club and team – we have to stand to those words, clearly, in every action, with anybody. And this is the message that I have to send you.”
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