Gabriel reveals how Arsenal squad reacted to Aubameyang's transfer exit

Gabriel Magalhaes insists Arsenal’s squad wanted Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to stay and says his former team-mate joined Barcelona after ‘something happened’ with the coaching staff.

Aubameyang joined La Liga giants Barca on transfer deadline day last month, ending his four-and-a-half year spell in north London.

The Gabon striker had been one of Arsenal’s most important players, scoring 92 goals in 163 games for the club and helping them win the FA Cup and reach the Europa League final.

But Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta exiled Aubameyang after stripping him of the Arsenal captaincy in December and subsequently sanctioned his move to Barcelona.

Asked about Aubameyang’s departure, Gabriel said he and his Arsenal team-mates wanted him to stay at the Emirates but wished him well at the Nou Camp.

‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ Gabriel said on the Oh My Goal podcast. ‘Aubameyang is in my heart, we all wanted him at Arsenal.

‘Something happened between him and the coaching staff, the other players were not in it.

‘I said goodbye to him before he left, I hope he enjoys Barcelona, ​​he is a very nice person with a big heart and I love him very much.’

Aubameyang, 32, has enjoyed a superb start to his Barca career, scoring a hat-trick in a 4-1 win over Valencia and also getting on the scoresheet in the 4-2 victory over Europa League rivals Napoli on Thursday.

At his unveiling at the Nou Camp, Aubameyang said Gunners manager Arteta was his ‘only problem’ at Arsenal.

‘They were some complicated months, sometimes football is like that,’ Aubameyang said at his presentation.

‘If I had to say something about this, I would say on my behalf I never wanted to do anything bad.

‘I have to put this behind me, that’s in the past, now I want to