Rio Ferdinand has defended Mikel Arteta’s decision to offload Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, despite his return to form with Barcelona.
The Gabon international’s departure from the club was confirmed during a deadline day in January after he had been frozen out by his former manager after a number of disciplinary breeches.
Aubameyang failed to score in any of his final six games for Arsenal but has hit the ground running for Barcelona where he has scored five times in his last three appearances, including the opener in the 4-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.
In his absence, Arsenal have prospered, moving to the brink of a Champions League qualifying position with matches in hand over their rivals.
The absence of a prolific striker, however, could yet undermine their attempts to return to the Champions League, but Ferdinand believes the 32-year-old’s exit has been of benefit to Arsenal.
He told Vibe with Five: ‘I just feel he looks happy again. I saw him at Arsenal for a number of months where he just didn’t look happy.
‘People undervalue and underestimate how important your happiness is when you’re a footballer or any job that you’ve got you’ve got to have that element of happiness and fulfillment and he just wasn’t having that at Arsenal.
‘Both have benefited from him leaving. Arteta has got even more of a stranglehold on the squad, more respect, they know where they stand now, there’s a line that they don’t go beyond, we don’t know the details of that.
‘But also Aubameyang has gained, he’s got some love back, he’s got some attention he’s some belief back from a manager that’s driven that into him by a manager who really wants him to be there and appreciates his footballing ability.
‘Nobody has doubted the rate at which he’s always scored goals in his career. There’s obviously something that’s gone on behind the scenes where Mikel Arteta has said ‘I’m not having that you’re going to have to go’.
‘It’s worked out for each other. If Arsenal finish fourth Arteta is totally justified in what he’s done.’
