Arsenal stars MISS 'nice guy' Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, says Ben White

Arsenal players are missing banished striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as he continues to work away from the rest of the first team, defender Ben White said.

Aubameyang was stripped of the captaincy by boss Mikel Arteta earlier this month and he has not been involved since returning back late from a trip to visit his sick mother.

Sportsmail reported last week that  the 32-year-old has not been involved in first-team training at the club's London Colney HQ, a development that casts further doubt over his future in north London.

With the cloud of Aubameyang's future hanging over the north London club White was asked if it is affecting the rest of the dressing room ahead of their Boxing Day match against Norwich.

White told talkSPORT: 'It hasn't really looked it on the scoresheet. We've been playing well.

'Obviously it's disappointing for Auba but we've all got our heads down and we're working hard.

'He's a really nice guy, we all miss him, but it is what it is.'

It is now down to Arteta to pick out a successor for the armband and while there has been an appetite to use a leadership group, White believes he has 'some of the qualities' needed if he is picked out to succeed Aubameyang.

On the potential captaincy, Arsenal's £50million summer signing added: 'I've never done it before, but it would obviously be an absolute honour to be captain.

'I think I've got some of the qualities to be captain, but we'll see in time.'

This week Arteta came out to defend his ruthless handling of the Gabon striker, insisting he does not rule Arsenal like a dictator.

'I don't establish my authority by being dictatorial or ruthless,' said Arteta. 'I just ask for respect and commitment. At this level, if I don't get that I pack my bags and go somewhere else because that is the minimum I can ask for.

'I am sorry but I am going to expect that from everybody who works for the club, first of all myself. The day I don't do that, I walk through that door and go and do something else. It is as clear as that.

'To be successful you have to be passionate about something and if you want to represent a club of this size, with its history, that is the minimum standard you have to bring.

'I am not going to ask anybody to put the ball into the top corner every time they hit it, but I will ask them to do the right things every single day for this club. That is for sure.'

Aubameyang is due to head to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with Gabon and it is expected he will not find himself in contention with Arsenal return, provided he hasn't been sold.

Barcelona have been alerted by Aubameyang’s exile and would be interested in signing him on loan next month.

But his £350,000-a-week wages are a potential stumbling block for the cash-strapped Catalan club.