Images of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the Barcelona airport have surfaced as his move to Chelsea draws nearer. The former Arsenal captain joined Barcelona on the transfer deadline in January, but he appears to be returning to the Premier League, where he may be reunited with Thomas Tuchel, his former manager at Borussia Dortmund.
Given that Robert Lewandowski has joined Barcelona, it’s likely that Aubameyang won’t get much playing time under Xavi. This presents a great opportunity for Chelsea.
The Blues need a new center forward after allowing Romelu Lukaku (Inter Milan – loan) and Timo Werner (RB Leipzig) to leave without replacing them.
Gerard Romero, a Barcelona source, has now reported that Aubameyang’s transfer to Chelsea is imminent and tweeted photos of the striker at the airport.
It has been several weeks of negotiations between the club and the player’s representation, but it looks like a deal is finally getting close.
Before Aubameyang re-upped with Arsenal in 2020, Chelsea had been discussed as a potential destination for the Gabon international.
The Blues have recently proposed a deal of £15 million plus Marcos Alonso for the center forward, but a different bid is likely to be the deciding factor in reaching an agreement.
Auba’s positive experience working with Tuchel at Dortmund is “completely distinct from whatever that is occurring right now,” the Dortmund coach stated earlier this month.
“Auba is one of those players who will always be on your team because of how close you were.
It was instantaneous and unbreakable, a kinship that has endured throughout the years. They’ll always be key cogs in your machine. There was never a problem in Dortmund.
Under the 2016–17 season, Aubameyang scored 40 goals in 46 games while playing for Tuchel, including 31 in 32 Bundesliga games.
In 128 games over the course of four seasons at Arsenal, he scored 68 goals in the Premier League.