Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has allowed spoiled star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to join Gabon after being stripped of the captaincy.
Aubameyang has been dropped from the Gunners’ squad in another disciplinary case after he returned late from a trip to France two weeks ago.
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The striker has since been left out of Arteta’s plans and thus the north London boss has decided he can join his national team for the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
The Spanish head coach received a letter from Patrice Neveu requesting a “release” to his captain and he allowed it.
Arteta said: “We had a letter from the national team asking to release the player.
“The player was not going to attend today so for his fitness and to stay in the competition, it was the right thing to do.
“At the moment, he’s gone [to AFCON], He needs to focus on the national team.
“We had a conversation that this was the best way to do it. As I said earlier, we would address that on a game-by-game basis.”
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Arsenal teammate Granit Xaka is confident Aubameyang still has a future at the Emirates despite his fall with Arteta.
Xhaka knows how the 32-year-old is feeling as he too was set to leave when an armband was taken from him by former manager Unai Emery after he was out with fans in October 2019.
He said: “I’ve been in this situation and know how Auba is feeling.
“I have a different story with different problems but maybe sometimes it’s not a step back but a step forward.
“I think Auba is strong and has enough experience to come back and be better than ever.
“It doesn’t have to bring you down. You have to be positive and believe that you can change it. And I believe Auba can do that.”
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