Emmanuel Adebayor has slammed Arsenal for freezing out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with the retired Togo international claiming the Gunners did the same to him.
Aubameyang has not played for the Gunners for well over a month now, with his last appearance coming on 6 December, in a late cameo against Everton.
Since then, the Gabon striker has been stripped of the club captaincy and left on the sidelines due to an internal disciplinary matter, while manager Mikel Arteta has revealed very little regarding when the 32-year-old will be selected to play again.
Scroll through the gallery above to see four players who have left Arsenal this month
The former Borussia Dortmund star recently returned prematurely from the Africa Cup of Nations due to what was initially said to be a health issue related to his heart, but there have since been conflicting reports suggesting he was sent home due to a bout of ill-discipline.
It remains to be seen what will happen next for the Gabonese striker, but Adebayor, himself a former Arsenal player, has now hit out at the London club for their treatment of Aubameyang.
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"They never knew how to forgive, so I know he went through a lot," he told Sky Sports.
"He's a fantastic player, I wish him all the best – I've sent him a message already.
"We just want him to bounce back. Whether we like it or not, he's an African brother and we want him to keep representing Africa the way he was doing before."
Asked if he sees a way back for Aubameyang at Arsenal, Adebayor, who left the Gunners in acrimonious circumstances when he joined Manchester City in 2009, replied: "I don't think so, this is what I know because it happened to me also.
"Not in the same way, but in Arsenal, a way back I would be surprised [to see].
"But he’s a great player so let's see how it ends up."
Aubameyang has since been linked with a big-money move to Saudi Arabia, with Al Nassr offering to sign him on loan until the end of the season, per Sky Sports.
The move to the Middle East has reportedly been rejected by the striker, though, who would prefer a transfer to a European club instead.
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