Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has had the Arsenal captaincy taken away from him, and he’ll be absent for Wednesday’s game against West Ham United.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 22: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal reacts as he goes off after being substituted during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on October 22, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal reacts as he goes off after being substituted during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Aston Villa at Emirates Stadium on October 22, 2021. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Arsenal have confirmed that following Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s “latest disciplinary breach” last week, he’ll no longer be the club captain, and he won’t be considered for selection against West Ham.

Arsenal add that they expect all players to work to the rules and standards they’ve set and agreed.

Aubameyang follows Granit Xhaka and William Gallas in being stripped of the Arsenal captaincy in the last decade and a half.

According to the recent report from The Athletic, the problem came when Aubameyang didn’t return to England from a personal trip when he’d agreed to return. This then had Covid-19 implications, given the testing required when returning from another country.

This is just the latest incident where Aubameyang has been in trouble with the club over lateness.

The striker was dropped for a game against Spurs for the same thing, and reports at the time made it clear that wasn’t the first time it had been a problem that season.

So at a minimum, we’re looking at three breaches from the former captain. It’s not hugely surprising that has eventually led to a captaincy change.

LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 18: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal acknowledges the fans after the Premier League match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium on October 18, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal acknowledges the fans after the Premier League match between Arsenal and Crystal Palace at Emirates Stadium on October 18, 2021. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

We should get more information on Arsenal’s next captain in the next few hours, with Mikel Arteta set to face the media for his pre-West Ham press conference.