Mikel Arteta has claimed he tried to find a 'solution' in his rift with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who left Arsenal for Barcelona in the January transfer window.
Arteta stripped Aubameyang of the club captaincy after several disciplinary breaches a few weeks before his departure and, during his unveiling at Barça, the forward hinted that his tough relationship with the Gunners boss was the reason he left north London.
He said: "[It was] a difficult few months. I've never wanted to do anything wrong, it's in the past."
Asked if the problem was just with Arteta, he added: "Yeah, I think it was just with him. I can't say much, he wasn't happy, I stayed calm and that's it."
Arteta has since hit back at Aubameyang, claiming he was not the problem in the feud.
"I'm extremely grateful for what Aubameyang has done at the club and his contribution since I have been here and the way I see myself in that relationship is the solution, not the problem," he said.
"I have been the solution. One hundred per cent. I can look in the eye of everyone. I do a lot of things wrong for sure but the intention all the time is the best and not for me, it's for the club and the team."
Arteta was speaking before his side's trip to Wolves on Thursday night. The Gunners are in need of a win, as they look to close the gap on the Premier League top four.
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Source : 90min