Mikel Arteta hits back at Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after Barcelona star said he was his ‘only problem’ at Arsenal

Mikel Arteta has hit back at Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s suggestion that he was his ‘only problem’ at Arsenal by insisting he was the ‘solution’ to the striker’s troubles.

The Gabon international joined Barcelona on deadline day after Arsenal agreed to terminate his contract.

Aubameyang was stripped of the club captaincy in December after his latest disciplinary breach and he didn’t play for the club again before his move to the Camp Nou.

On his arrival at Barcelona, Aubameyang said Arteta was the only reason that he left the Emirates.

Asked what the ‘problem’ was at Arsenal, Aubameyang said: ‘I think it was only with him and then he took this decision. ‘He wasn’t happy and that’s it. I was calm.’

Well Auba’s trajectory at the club and importance of his goals is unquestionable,’ said Arteta. ‘But we have other players and we believe we have other qualities to try to accomplish the goals we need in the team and that’s what we’ll try to do. ‘I am extremely grateful for what Auba did at the club, for his contributions since I was here and the way I see myself in that relationship is the solution not the problem.’

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Arsenal let the likes of Aubameyang, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Calum Chambers and Pablo Mari leave the club last month.

However, the club failed to make a single signing even though they were desperate to sign a striker.

Arteta admits the club wanted to make signings but it was just as important to offload players.

‘We did what we believed what was the right thing to