Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta couldn't rule out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang having played his last game for the club.
Arteta has allowed his former captain to join up with the Gabon squad for their Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
The manager said, "We had a letter from the national team asking permission to get the player and the player wasn't going to get involved today so, for his fitness and to keep competing, it was the right thing to do.
"At the moment he has gone (to AFCON).
"He needs to focus on the national team, and we had the conversation that was the best possible way to do it. I said before, we will address (his situation) game-by-game."
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