The spat between Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and former club Borussia Dortmund has continued after the club's Sporting Director weighed in on Friday.
Michael Zorc admitted he was surprised by Aubameyang's "strong and exaggerated reaction" to Hans-Joachim Watzke’s recent comments.
The Arsenal star called the Dortmund chief executive a ‘clown’ after the 60-year-old suggested the striker left the German club to join Arsenal in January 2018 solely to boost his wages.
Watzke said: “Some [players] go to clubs because of this money, where they have not played Champions League for years.
“Aubameyang, who plays great at Arsenal, will probably be warm-hearted when he looks at his bank account, but on Wednesdays will be saddened when he has to watch the Champions League on television.”
Responding to Watzke, Aubameyang was critical of the BVB CEO on social media and posted this tweet.
He wrote on Twitter: “Better for you, I never talk about why I really left Dortmund Mr Watzke you such a clown I remember that time you said we never gonna sell Ousmane [Dembele] then you saw more than 100M you were the first to take that money don’t talk about money, please!!! Leave me alone pls.”
The spat continued on Friday with Zorc, the Bundesliga club’s sporting director, admitting he could not understand Aubameyang’s fierce reaction to Watzke’s comments.
He said: “My feeling is that Auba took the wrong tone here and had the wrong choice of words. Hans-Joachim Watzke did not say anything bad and did not mean anything bad.
“In the time Auba was with us, during four-and-a-half years, we have always stood behind him even in difficult situations.
“In that sense, I cannot understand now why he’s had such a strong and exaggerated reaction.”
Aubameyang has established himself as one of the best strikers in the Premier League since arriving in north London.
The Gunners front man was the joint-winner of the Golden Boot last season after hitting 22 goals, despite Unai Emery's side finishing fifth in the table and failing to qualify for the Champions League for a third-straight season.
However, that has been no slight on Aubameyang who has been a huge hit since joining the Gunners, scoring 49 goals in 74 appearances.
