By Daily Sports Nigeria on December 22, 2022
Mikel Arteta claims ‘several players’ were holding Arsenal back when discussing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s exit earlier this year.
Aubameyang spent just over a year under Arteta at Arsenal and during that time the team won the FA Cup.
But the striker’s final months with the Gunners turned sour as Arteta stripped him of the captaincy following several disciplinary issues.
According to Metro UK, Arsenal ended up terminating Aubameyang’s £350,000-a-week contract in February which paved the way for his move to Barcelona.
But Arteta insists Aubameyang was not the only player he felt who was restricting Arsenal’s progression.
When asked about the decision to get rid of Aubameyang, Arteta told Sky Sports, “First of all I didn’t take that decision, we took that decision as a club.
“Obviously there is my recommendation and what I feel that we need to do to get where we want.
“But I wouldn’t like to single out one player. I think it was with several players.
“It was part of the strategy of what we’re trying to build.
“At the end of the day, when you are in that process and you want to go faster there are people holding that boat [back] and putting weight on it.
“I’m sorry but we want to go even faster and there’s no time, whether it’s a player or a staff member, for someone damaging the club and we made that decision.”
Arteta also claims Arsenal are already ahead of his five-phase plan which he made when he was appointed in December 2019.
“The important ones are my wife and my family because that’s when you really open up, open your feelings, and say exactly the way you are feeling,” Arteta said.
“Then the coaching staff, I think they are critical, you can really sense what is happening, how they are feeling, how they can help you.
“The third one is to have a club behind you that is understanding what the situation is and what it’s going take to move from where we are here to there.
“The good thing is I had a really clear plan, I put a plan of five different phases for the club – where we are compared with the rest of the teams.
“The timeline and everything we have to hit in every phase.”
Asked if Arsenal are ahead of behind his current plan, Arteta smiled and replied, “We are ahead.”
Source Punch Ng
Posted December 22, 2022
You may also like...
Tuchel Expects Injured Neymar To Return End Of...
Umar-led NBBF hails FIBA decision on federation crisis,...
We are working on immortalizing Keshi, Amodu –...
Ex-Super Eagles Star Osaze Odemwingie’s Hotel Manager Shot...
Rio 2016: Kenya’s Sumgong wins Rio women’s marathon...
PSG Encouraged As Dele Alli Baffled By Latest...

FIFA Monday meeting to determine Eagles’ World Cup fate
Adesanya keen to prove GOAT status
Davis Cup: Ochei sparks Nigeria’s tennis revival
56 grassroots clubs battle for Taiwo Afolabi Cup
ICYMI: CAF reaffirms Morocco as host of WAFCON 2026, rejects postponement talk
PHOTOS: Kenya’s Ezra Kering wins 2026 Lagos city marathon
Chukwuemka prefers Austria to Nigeria
Enekwechi throws season best, Okezie finishes second in Serbia
Ogazi wins SEC Runner of the Week
Lookman has matched Osimhen’s impact – Peseiro
West Ham plot Chukwueze summer hijack
Tennis: Stakeholders dream big after Davis Cup promotion
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,556 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (54,863 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (52,771 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,414 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,330 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,246 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,113 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,664 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (50,833 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,364 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (47,756 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,220 views)