Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang shared a dressing room with countless stars and large names during his time at Arsenal – but he places Ousmane Dembele above the remainder when rating his best ever team-mates.
During his peak years at Arsenal, Aubameyang was widely considered to be amongst probably the most lethal and natural goalscorers within the Premier League while sharing a pitch with the likes of Mesut Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette and Bukayo Saka.
Across his 4 years with the Gunners, the Gabon international racked up 92 goals in 163 appearances, including a famous double within the side’s FA Cup final victory over Chelsea in 2020.
Aubameyang had taken over from Granit Xhaka as Arsenal’s captain earlier that season but was subsequently stripped of the armband midway through the 2020/21 campaign as a result of disciplinary issues and questions over his poor timekeeping.
It marked the start of the top for Aubameyang’s Arsenal profession under Mikel Arteta and the centre-forward went on to hitch Barcelona after terminating his contract on the Emirates.
It was on the Camp Nou that Aubameyang was reunited with Dembele, who he had previously played alongside when the latter was a youngster at Borussia Dortmund.
Aubameyang clearly enjoyed his transient spell with Dembele and Co, netting 13 times in 24 games for the Catalan giants before returning to English football to hitch Arsenal’s bitter rivals Chelsea in 2022.
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‘I played with plenty of good players, but I might say Dembele,’ Aubameyang replied when asked to call the very best player he had ever played with during an interactive Q&A with DAZN on Wednesday.
Aubameyang later picked out Dembele as one among the three best playmakers he ever lined up with, alongside Dortmund icon Marco Reus and ex-Arsenal team-mate Ozil.
He also backed Dembele to go on and scoop a second Ballon d’Or after the Frenchman won the celebrated prize for the primary time last yr.
‘I don’t know [who will lift the following award, but I might say Dembele since it’s my friend.’
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The Q&A took a rather uncomfortable turn when Aubameyang was quizzed on his tumultuous Arsenal exit and fallout with Arteta in 2022.
‘I desired to stay, but s*** happens,’ the 36-year-old attacker, who now seems for Marseille, responded bluntly.
Aubameyang did, though, reassure Arsenal supporters that he remained a ‘red man’ after he was asked if London was ‘red or blue’.
Together with his profession in its twilight years, Aubameyang was naturally asked if he had any ambitions to enter the world of coaching when he does eventually hang up his boots.
‘That’s not my first idea,’ he replied.
‘But I believe I’ll stay on this planet of football.
‘Definitely, I start this yr with some lessons, a bit about management. We’ll see.’
Aubameyang has scored eight goals in 22 appearances in Ligue 1 since joining Marseille on a free transfer from Saudi Pro League outfit Al Qadsiah last summer.
The veteran striker’s contract with Marseille runs through to June 2027.
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