Arsenal waiting for confirmation on whether Aubameyang was sent out of AFCON due to indiscipline
Arsenal are waiting for confirmation from the Gabon Football Federation on whether Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was sent out of AFCON due to indiscipline.
Social media was awash with news that the Arsenal striker was sent out of the Gabon team due to indiscipline.
However, the player denied the claims as “false rumours” that he left the Gabon squad due to indiscipline ahead of his expected return to Arsenal.
The 32-year-old is expected to return to Arsenal for medical tests after being diagnosed with heart lesions following a positive Covid-19 test, but has since returned to training and appears to be in good health.
Arsenal is yet to receive confirmation from the Gabonese Football Federation.
Aubameyang has tweeted: “We have some problems that are hard to resolve by themselves, then rumours get thrown into the mix.
“We have to look after our health first and foremost. I’m not going to talk about the false rumours and I truly hope our team goes as far as possible.”
On his arrival in Cameroon for the competition, the forward tested positive for coronavirus, but he returned a negative test last week before training on Thursday.
Arsenal announced last week that they had spoken with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and are sure his condition is not serious; the striker did not play in Gabon’s opening two Africa Cup of Nations group games.
Aubameyang, along with team-mates Mario Lemina and Axel Meye, was shown to have “cardiac lesions” following bouts of Covid-19.
Gabon manager Patrice Neveu has said: “As you know, he’s a key player for Arsenal, although he’s going through a tough period at the moment.
“We still have to report to clubs. And when a player’s health is affected and as you know, they are paid by the club, we have to be reasonable at some point.”
Nice midfielder Lemina also responded to the reports by posting a statement on Instagram: “I’m not even going to feed the lies that are trying to cause harm. I couldn’t care less.
“I feel pain for my national team which is surrounded by liars who are looking for a buzz.
“Good luck for the rest of the competition and future call-ups.
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”
After being deprived of the club captaincy in December due to a disciplinary infraction, Aubameyang has been widely linked with a move away from Arsenal.
And after being dropped to the bench by Mikel Arteta at Goodison Park, he last appeared for the Gunners on December 6 in a five-minute substitute cameo in their 2-1 defeat to Everton.
“He has been frozen out of Arsenal, so this was an opportunity for him to have the world talking about him more favorably, and he’s missed out on that due to sad circumstances,” African football specialist Janine Anthony told Sky Sports News.
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