Aubameyang, Arsenal part ways as reported Barcelona move nears

Arsenal confirmed that former captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had left the club by mutual consent, thus paving the way for a free transfer to Barcelona that is expected to be announced imminently.

Aubameyang, who was spotted at Barcelona training on Tuesday despite not officially being unveiled by the club as of yet, bid farewell to Arsenal and the club's fans on Instagram.

When the 32-year-old is finally registered as a new Barca player, it will bring a fascinating transfer saga to an end.

The Athletic's David Ornstein first reported on Monday that Barcelona's deal for Aubameyang - initially on a loan basis - had collapsed because the Blaugrana didn't want to pay the majority of his weekly salary of around £350,000. Hours later, Barcelona president Joan Laporta said he was optimistic a deal would get done.

Aubameyang, who had already traveled to Barcelona earlier in the day, eventually completed his medical, according to Romano.

The striker - who leaves Arsenal after being frozen out of the squad and stripped of the captaincy - will reportedly sign an initial six-month contract with Barcelona that includes a one-year option.

Before Monday's sensational U-turn, Arsenal had apparently agreed to waive any loan fee as long as Barcelona covered the majority of Aubameyang's salary. The Spanish giants were reluctant to do so without first moving Ousmane Dembele.

Aubameyang, one of the best-paid players in the Premier League, eventually left with 18 months remaining on his contract. It's unclear if the Gabonese forward agreed to take a significant pay cut to make the deal work.

Juventus and Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr had also expressed interest in signing Aubameyang on loan in January. Juventus eventually opted for Dusan Vlahovic, and Aubameyang turned down Al-Nassr's offer because he wanted to continue his career in Europe, according to Ornstein.

Aubameyang's last appearance for Arsenal came as a late substitute in their 2-1 loss to Everton on Dec. 6. Arteta left him out of Arsenal's following six games, citing a disciplinary breach. Later, it emerged Aubameyang had returned late from a club-sanctioned trip to France in December to visit his ill mother.

He tested positive for COVID-19 while at the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this month, and Gabon doctors sent him back to Arsenal after discovering heart lesions.

Aubameyang initially joined the north London side in January 2018 from Borussia Dortmund for a then-club-record £56 million. He shared the 2018-19 Premier League Golden Boot award with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah and signed a three-year deal with Arsenal in September 2020 that made him the club's highest earner and curried favor with fans who had braced for Mesut Ozil's inevitable exit.

At the time, Aubameyang vowed to become a "legend" like Thierry Henry and "leave a legacy" in north London. But he was unable to deliver, scoring just 10 goals in 32 Premier League appearances last season and four in 14 this term.