Deadline Day was a tribute to football's 'bad boys' headlined by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Barcelona - The Warm-Up

TUESDAY'S BIG STORIES FAREWELL SWEET AUBAMEYANG Ad/> The great Transfer Deadline Day of January 31, 2022 (note: each word must be capitalised) was a day for football’s supposed 'bad boys'. The immensely-talented players who play on the edge, often say no to — in their eyes — questionable authority and perhaps most crucially, have to be loved at new homes to be at their best. TransfersAubameyang to join Barcelona on free transfer – reports13 HOURS AGO In the case of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang he was willing to go full Peter Odemwingie to be unshackled from the wrath of Arsenal’s head honcho Mikel Arteta.

/> It looked like the day would end in complete embarrassment as grainy footage emerged of the 32-year-old strolling out Barcelona’s El Praet airport only for the update to “break” hours later that a move to Barcelona had broken down over his wages. Aubameyang's camp insisted he was on a “family holiday” because nothing screams sunnies and flip-flops quite like a brisk January morning. But this is football and some players are so filthy rich that they can agree to drastic pay cuts.

An agreement was reached. It’s a sad end to Aubameyang’s time at Arsenal. The Gabon international scored a healthy 92 goals in 163 appearances for the Gunners and he will always be remembered fondly amongst Arsenal fans for his two against Chelsea in the FA Cup final back in the heady days of 2020.

It also appears as though Arsenal now need a striker having only scored once as a team in January. It will be fascinating to see if he will be rejuvenated under Xavi at Barcelona, put his well-documented disciplinary problems to one side and help lift the Catalan giants into the top four before the season is up. In theory Aubameyang could spearhead a