Xavi’s prediction of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang having an immediate impact on Barcelona has come true in recent weeks following his switch to the Nou Camp from Arsenal in late January. The 32-year-old left the Emirates Stadium as a free agent after a difficult campaign and end to life at the club.
The Gabonese forward joined from Borussia Dortmund in 2018 for roughly £58million, having impressed for the Bundesliga club in his time there. He went on to play a key role in recent years, with his double at Wembley in the FA Cup final in 2020 sinking Chelsea to give the Gunners their 14th title.
In his four-years in London, Aubameyang made 163 appearances with 92 goals and 21 assists across all competitions. However, despite the good spell on the whole, the circumstances of his departure could have been better.
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The forward was stripped of the club captaincy in December 2021 for a disciplinary breach and was subsequently omitted from first-team squads after. The club statement on the forward read: "We expect all our players, particularly our captain, to work to the rules and standards we have all set and agreed."
The forward’s exclusion continued until late January, where the club agreed to part ways and allowed him to join Barcelona as a free agent. He joined former midfielder Xavi, who recently took over as manager at the Catalan club.
The move saw a slight U-turn from the Spaniard, who just 18-months prior seemed to pour cold water on the potential of Aubameyang moving to Barcelona. He said: "Aubameyang can kill you in open space. But Barcelona need players who know how to move in small spaces.
"I am thinking about players who would adapt to Barcelona and it's not easy to find one. Samuel Eto'o was perfect as is Luis Suarez right now."
Things have changed since and when he signed the striker, Xavi predicted that he would have an impact, saying: "I'm sure you [Aubameyang] can become key player for us, immediately." This has been the case for a resurgent Barca side, with Aubameyang scoring nine and assisting once in his first 11 games in all competitions, including a double in the 4-0 win over bitter rivals Real Madrid.
That has been the sort of form he was missing for Arsenal earlier this season, though it is the kind of improvement that can come from a transfer or change of environment. Xavi has continued to praise the ex-Gunners man in recent weeks: "Auba has been a gift from heaven, he is a positive player, he has come into the dressing room very well, he adapts well to the team, he creates scoring chances, he scores, he presses, he is a privilege to train."
The scenario will be seen as a strange one for Arsenal to assess, given his struggles earlier this campaign, a disciplinary breach and his higher wages. However, his goals for his new club in recent weeks show that he may have had more to give after all.
