Fresh Injury Concern For Emery After Arsenal Star Withdraws From International Duty

Arsenal boss Unai Emery has been handed a fresh injury concern after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang pulled out of the Gabon squad due to an unspecified knock.

Aubameyang was called-up by Gabon ahead of their clash with Mali this weekend and the Gunners hitman was fully expected to start up front in the African Cup of Nations qualifier but there was confusion after he withdrew from the squad earlier this week.

Initial reports suggested that Aubameyang had refused to link-up with his international squad as no official reason was given for his withdrawal amid on-going tensions between the Arsenal star and the Federation of Gabonese Football.

However, Aubameyang has taken to social media to confirm he pulled out of national duty due to fitness issues and hit out at the Federation of Gabonese Football for not disclosing information about his injury.

While responding to journalist Freddhy Koula on social media, Aubameyang said:

“It’s weird that the football federation immediately publishes that a player cannot come [for national duty] for other reasons after they received an email from my doctor but still has not posted on it for more than 24 hours,”

“You say that Aubameyang declined as if I had refused to come for another reason.”

News of another injury to a key attacker will come as a concern to Emery as Alexandre Lacazette has also pulled out of the France squad due to injury while Danny Welbeck is unlikely to play again this season after undergoing a double operation on a broken ankle.

It remains to be seen how serious Aubameyang’s injury is as no further details have been released at this time but the Arsenal boss will be praying it’s only minor as he prepares for an important run of games after the international break.

We head to high-flying Bournemouth next weekend and have huge games against Tottenham and Manchester United coming up over the coming weeks so Emery will be hoping Aubameyang and Lacazette’s injury issues aren’t serious. Otherwise we’re going to be facing an injury crisis up front.