Former Gunner admits joining Chelsea was a “big f****** mistake” | OneFootball

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has admitted it was a mistake to join Chelsea, even if it seemed like the right decision for him and his family at the time.

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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a fantastic spell with Arsenal, scoring 92 goals and captaining the team to FA Cup success with a brace in the final.

The striker also scored in the Community Shield win over Liverpool, netting in normal time and converting the winner in the subsequent penalty shootout.

Yet he’s not remembered by Arsenal fans nearly as fondly as you might expect, primarily because of a brief stint at Chelsea.

Aubameyang only played 21 games for Chelsea, scoring just three goals, but it was the principle of joining a rival club that the supporters objected to.

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Speaking on a charity stream this week, Aubameyang admitted that going to Chelsea was “a big f****** mistake”.

“That was a big mistake going there,” Aubameyang conceded (via GFFN). “I wasn’t in a good moment at Barcelona. I had the break-in, and Barca needed to sell a player. The only option was Chelsea, so for my family, I said OK—even if it was Chelsea.”

The break-in Aubameyang is referring to was an armed robbery at his home in Barcelona, and it’s understandable he’d want to take his family elsewhere after that. It’s just unfortunate where he ended up.

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Aubameyang’s former Arsenal teammates certainly didn’t take too kindly to the move.

Gabriel Magalhaes mocked Aubameyang following Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Chelsea in November 2022 by posting “nothing personal” on social media, quoting something the striker said before the game.

Mesut Ozil’s agent suggested Aubameyang’s move to Chelsea was a moral failing, saying: “[Özil] could never play for another English club, he’s not like Aubameyang.”

But with Aubameyang leaving Chelsea so quickly and admitting he never should have joined, perhaps it’s now time to bury the hatchet.