Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's big-money move to Arsenal is "a good thing" for Borussia Dortmund, head coach Peter Stoger has told a news conference.
Aubameyang, 28, joined the Gunners for £56 million on Wednesday, having made it clear he wanted to leave the club in the January window. The transfer saga surrounding the Gabon striker had been going on since the summer, when the Bundesliga side denied him a move away and Stoger insists the squad is calmer now with Michy Batshuayi arriving as his replacement on loan from Chelsea.
"I am just happy the window's closed now," Stoger told reporters. "I am delighted those discussions have ended. And I like the decision we've made. You just don't know if there would have been any calm if we'd made a different decision.
"We have a good replacement. The quality is still there to reach our goals, even after Auba's exit. That's why I think it's a good thing because we now have our peace."
After scoring 10 goals in the first eight league games, Aubameyang found the back of the net only three times in what would be his last eight Bundesliga matches for Borussia Dortmund.
He was suspended twice from the matchday squad over disciplinary issues in 2018 and a heartless performance in his final game against SC Freiburg last weekend proved the final nail in the coffin.
Dortmund have yet to win a Bundesliga match in 2018, and have dropped to sixth in the table following their draws with mid-table teams Wolfsburg, Hertha Berlin and Freiburg.
Stoger himself is already facing some pressure following the dire performances this year. Returning to Cologne less than two months after getting sacked due to a horrendous fall to the bottom of the league, the Austrian knows that he will need to start delivering the results.
"It's been a turbulent year for the club," he said. "Normally at Dortmund coaches don't get sacked. And you have all the side noise. It's not an easy situation on the pitch as well."
"A fourth consecutive match without a win wouldn't bring any more calmness. But we haven't lost in five matches. We are relatively calm, but we are aware we need those points."