Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has criticised Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for the manner in which he departed Borussia Dortmund last week.
Aubameyang became the latest high-profile name to depart Dortmund in recent years on transfer deadline day, when he completed a £56million move to Arsenal.
The 28-year-old striker departed Dortmund under something of a cloud, with club chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke hinting Aubameyang had “withheld performances” to secure his transfer to the Premier League.
Gundogan’s exit was similarly contentious, with the German international signing a one-year contract extension 12 months before leaving that left Dortmund having to settle for only £20million when he eventually signed for Manchester City.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's first Arsenal training session
But he said that he could understand why fans, who held up a banner proclaiming “no player is bigger than the club in Aubameyang’s final Dortmund match, had lost patience with the Gabon striker.
“I don’t know if I could have done it like Auba did,” Gundogan told Bild. “At that time I was also criticised for my open intentions [to leave] at BVB.
“The reaction of the fans I understood a bit. But I only wanted to be honest and always gave everything for the club.”
Gundogan added: “Both parties live with the solution taken, although Dortmund loses a very, very good player. I very much hope that now peace is restored. Because you need it to be successful in the Bundesliga. All the bickering was certainly not conducive for the performance of the team.”
