Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s final Arsenal contract at the Emirates Stadium cost the Gunners an enormous £1.2million per goal.
The former captain sealed a free transfer to Barcelona in the closing stages of January transfer deadline day.
His move to the Catalans brings down the curtain on a venomous final chapter at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had jettisoned him from the squad and stripped him off the captaincy, after he allegedly returned late from an authorised trip abroad.
However, the former Borussia Dortmund star was able to have the last laugh, as his enormous £350,000 per week salary means the Gunners paid him around £1.2m per goal in his final season and a half.
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The Gabonese striker put pen to paper on a new three-year deal at the Emirates Stadium in the summer of 2020.
This new contract, which was highly celebrated by the Arsenal fan base at the time, is believed to have been worth £350,000 per week once loyalty payments and other bonuses were included.
At the time, Aubameyang warranted such a furious pay packet, as he netted 29 goals in all competitions over the course of the 2019-20 season.
Unfortunately, his form seemed to dissipate at the stroke of a pen, as the 32-year-old’s performances seemed to tail off in the proceeding seasons.
He could only muster 15 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions, in a season which saw Arsenal fail to qualify for European competition for the first time in 25 years.
Aubameyang had started this season relatively well, scoring four Premier League goals in the Gunners’ first eight matches of the season.
Unfortunately, he began to veer out of starting contention after going six league matches without a goal for the north Londoners.
Signs that Aubameyang’s relationship with Arteta was becoming strained became increasingly apparent in the Gunners’ 2-1 away loss to Everton at the end of the season.
Despite the fact his team were looking for a winning goal, and even ended up chasing an equaliser, Arteta snubbed Aubameyang and opted to deploy youngster Eddie Nketiah from the bench instead.
While the Spaniard did eventually turn to his then captain in the final five minutes of the match, the initial snubbing had already suggested that the cracks in their relationship had come to the surface.
And it was broken beyond repair after the 32-year-old allegedly came back from a trip abroad late, leaving Arteta and his staff furious.
After jettisoning him from Arsenal’s victories against Southampton and West Ham, Arteta decided to remove the captaincy from Aubameyang – he has not been seen in an Arsenal match-day squad since.
But his move to Barcelona brings an end to his four-year stay at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal are believed to have terminated his £25m per year contract, to allow him to join Xavi’s side permanently.
At one point, it looked like the Gabonese was going to stay at the club, when a loan deal between the sides appeared to collapse over his enormous £350,000 per week wages.
But the termination of his contract, enabled the La Liga giants to negotiate with him directly, and it is believed he has had to take a substantial pay cut to get the deal over the line.
