Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's final insult to Arsenal sums up Mikel Arteta's regret

The fall out between manager and star player has been a long-running feud.

It explains why Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was ready to go to extraordinary lengths to force through a move to Barcelona on deadline day.

Aubameyang, 32, has been left out in the cold by Mikel Arteta after their last fall-out and, even with Arsenal struggling to score goals, the manager would rather see his most prolific striker leave on a free transfer than have to kiss and make-up.

Even the biggest Arsenal fan would surely have to admit that Aubameyang has not been the same player since signing a mega three year contract worth £350,000-a-week back in September 2020.

It was Arteta who actually championed that deal, pushed hard to get it done - and has probably regretted it ever since.

The cracks in the relationship first became public in March 2021 when Arteta dropped Aubameyang for the North London derby, citing “disciplinary reasons.”

It later emerged that the Gabon striker had got stuck in traffic and it was far from being the first time he turned up late but that was easier to square off because Arsenal beat Tottenham.

Aubameyang had also missed a UEFA test which ruled him out of Europa League trip while he also contracted malaria in April 2021 while on international duty which surely would have been avoided had he taken a vaccination.

He was one of several players to test positive for coronavirus at the start of the 2021/22 season which no-one can be blamed for considering the outbreaks throughout the campaign.

But the row flared again after Arteta dropped Aubameyang in December 2021 after the striker reported back late after being given permission to fly to France to bring back his ill mother.

That divided opinion among the fans but