Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is undergoing medical examinations at Arsenal following his return from the Africa Cup of Nations, says manager Mikel Arteta.
The striker was sent home on Monday without playing a single match, alongside team-mate Mario Lemina, after Gabon reported that he was suffering from “heart lesions” following a COVID-19 diagnosis.
However, reports in Gabon linked his return to England with misbehaviour which took place at the team hotel, as this report further explains.
Aubameyang and Lemina immediately denied the allegations on social media.
The Gabonese Federation maintained it “has decided to put the players Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mario Lemina at the disposition of their clubs to complete further medical examinations”.
Speaking ahead of the EFL Cup semi-final against Liverpool, Arteta said: “He is in London. Now he’s going through some examinations because we haven’t had any clarity from the Gabon National Team about the reasons why he came back.
“Obviously it’s our obligation to make sure medically the player is safe.
“So far, historically with everything we’ve done with the player, he’s never had that issue. Let’s go step by step and make sure the player is in the best possible condition, then let’s see what happens.”
Aubameyang was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy in mid-December after a discipline breach.
(Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
