Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has revealed that he and Henrikh Mkhitaryan held their own private transfer talks before reuniting at Arsenal.
With both being heavily linked with the Gunners during the January transfer window, two former Borussia Dortmund team-mates sounded one another out to determine their plans.
Mkhitaryan was the first to take the plunge, as he moved from Manchester United to Arsenal as a part of a swap deal which saw Alexis Sanchez head in the opposite direction.
Aubameyang then completed a club-record £55 million switch to Emirates Stadium, with the opportunity to work with a top creative talent again influencing the Gabonese striker’s decision.
The 28-year-old forward told the Arsenal Weekly Podcast: “It’s like [being reunited with] a brother, a good friend. We played together in the past and I’m really happy to see him again.
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“He called me a few times, he asked ‘will you come or not?’ I said ‘first you have to tell me if you sign or not’.
“He told me all was done and of course it was a big factor in coming here.”
An understanding between the two which proved productive for Dortmund has delivered immediate returns at Arsenal, with the pair linking up for the first time against Everton.
Mkhitaryan provided the assist for Aubameyang to open his goal account for the Gunners in a 5-1 victory, and the latter is confident that there will be many more examples of that combination to come.
“We understand each other on and off the pitch, that’s why it’s easier on the pitch,” added Aubameyang.
“[The fans] have to be happy [to see us together], we will do our best of course, like we did in the past.”
Tottenham are the next side in Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan’s sights, with Arsenal due at Wembley Stadium on Saturday for an eagerly-anticipated north London derby encounter.
