Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opens up on his difficult Marseille exit and explains why Deportivo offered the perfect new challenge at this stage of his career.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Opens Up on Difficult Marseille Exit After Joining Deportivo
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has spoken openly about the circumstances that led to his departure from Marseille and his decision to begin a new chapter with Deportivo. The experienced Gabonese striker, now 37, left the French club despite still feeling a strong emotional connection to Marseille and after finishing the 2025/26 season with 14 goals. In an interview with L'Équipe, Aubameyang made clear that the decision to leave was not his own. According to the forward, the club informed him that they wanted him to move on, and he chose not to create a confrontation over the decision. Although he would have preferred to stay, he accepted that the situation had reached a point where continuing was no longer realistic.
"The club decided that I had to leave. And I was not going to go against their wishes. I am not the kind of person who likes to cause problems or become a burden. I think the club already has enough problems, especially because we failed to qualify for the Champions League this season. I would have liked to stay because I have a lot of affection for this club. But in the end, the situation made that impossible," Aubameyang explained. His comments underline the disappointment he felt at leaving, but also his desire to avoid making an already difficult environment even more complicated. Rather than forcing the issue, the striker accepted the club's position and began considering where the next stage of his career should take place.
Aubameyang Describes a Difficult and Unstable Season at Marseille
The veteran forward also reflected on just how demanding his final season in France had become. Aubameyang described the 2025/26 campaign as extremely draining, pointing to the constant changes and lack of stability around the club as major problems. From his perspective, the atmosphere became increasingly unhealthy as the season progressed, making it difficult for the team to respond positively whenever results went against them. The failure to qualify for the Champions League added further disappointment and intensified the feeling that Marseille had fallen short of their objectives.
"It was a very, very difficult season. Extremely draining. The circumstances were quite unusual, with all the changes that took place at the club. It was not a healthy or stable environment," he said. Aubameyang's description suggests that the problems were not limited to performances on the pitch. He spoke of an environment where defeats created an immediate sense of crisis and where it became difficult to maintain perspective over the course of the campaign. That mentality, in his view, prevented Marseille from appreciating the opportunities that were still available and contributed to the team losing confidence at important moments.
"Everything seemed chaotic. As soon as we lost a match, it felt like the end of the world, and we never seemed to see anything positive. It is a shame that we became so discouraged when we knew we could still compete in the league and the French Cup," Aubameyang recalled. Despite the difficult circumstances, he remains satisfied that he continued to give everything he could for the club. His 14 goals provided a respectable return for a player in the later stages of his career, and he believes his individual contribution should be considered in the context of a challenging season for the entire team.
"I always gave my best and never let the club down. And if you look at my statistics and compare them with those of other players last season, even though I would have liked to have done better, it was still a respectable campaign. But I am disappointed with the way it ended," he added. The comments reveal a mixture of pride and frustration. Aubameyang does not believe his final year in Marseille should be defined entirely by the negative circumstances surrounding the club, but he clearly regrets that his relationship with a team he cared about ended in such an unsatisfactory way.
Deportivo Offer Aubameyang a Completely Different Challenge
After leaving Marseille, Aubameyang had several possibilities available to him, but eventually chose Deportivo and a return to Spanish football. The former Barcelona striker described the move as a particularly exciting challenge because of the history surrounding the Galician club. Rather than looking only for a comfortable final stage to his career, he wanted to join a project with a clear objective and a strong emotional dimension. Deportivo's past, particularly the celebrated Super Depor era, played an important role in convincing him that the opportunity was worth pursuing.
"It is a historic club. It is a new experience and a very exciting challenge for me. The club wants to do everything it can to return to the top. I remember the Super Depor side that won the league and played in the Champions League. Everyone loves Deportivo because of that glorious period. I want to experience and become part of that history. I want to leave my mark, just as that generation of legends did," Aubameyang said. For the striker, the attraction lies not only in playing in Spain again but in helping a traditional club rebuild its position and reconnect with a past that remains important to supporters.
The ambition is considerable, but Aubameyang is also realistic about Deportivo's current situation. He acknowledged that returning the club to the highest level will not happen immediately and that the short-term objectives are much more modest. This season, avoiding relegation is the priority, and he understands that the club must progress gradually rather than attempting to recreate its most successful years overnight. His role will therefore involve more than simply scoring goals. At 37, Aubameyang arrives with experience accumulated across several of Europe's biggest leagues and clubs, and he wants to use that knowledge to help both on the pitch and inside the dressing room.
Aubameyang Wants to Help Deportivo Build Step by Step
"It will take time, that is certain. We have to move forward step by step, but I want to contribute all my experience and help, both on and off the pitch. I received other offers, but I still want to take on new challenges," the striker explained. That desire to continue testing himself is central to why he chose Deportivo. Having already experienced top-level football in several countries, Aubameyang could have selected a different kind of opportunity, but he was attracted by the prospect of helping a historic club attempt to rebuild.
"And this one, helping to take the club back to the top, is a truly special challenge. Even if our main objective this season is to avoid relegation," he concluded. Those words provide a clear picture of how Aubameyang sees the move. Deportivo's long-term ambition may be to recover the status associated with its most successful years, but the immediate task is much more practical. Aubameyang understands the difference between those 2 objectives and appears prepared to contribute to a gradual process rather than expecting instant success.
For the Gabonese forward, the transfer also provides an opportunity to move on from a difficult final chapter at Marseille. He leaves France disappointed by the way his relationship with the club ended, but not without pride in his contribution. Fourteen goals in a turbulent season represented a solid individual return, and he has made clear that he never stopped giving his best even when the atmosphere around the team became increasingly difficult. Deportivo now offer him a fresh environment, a historic identity and a challenge he believes is worth taking on at this stage of his career.
The contrast between the 2 situations could hardly be clearer. At Marseille, Aubameyang felt caught in an unstable environment where defeats quickly created a sense of crisis and where the club eventually decided he should leave. At Deportivo, he arrives knowing that expectations are being rebuilt from a different starting point and that progress will require patience. For a player with his experience, that may be exactly what makes the move attractive. Rather than ending his career simply protecting what he has already achieved, Aubameyang wants to use his final years in football to help another club pursue something meaningful.
