The ex-Arsenal striker looks to be nearing a Premier League return – and a reunion with former boss Thomas Tuchel
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Chelsea are reportedly close to reaching an agreement with Barcelona over the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The Blues have been strongly linked with a move for the former Arsenal centre-forward for some weeks now, and talks appear to have made positive progress in recent days.
According to Sky Sports, Chelsea and Barca are discussing a deal in the region of £15m to £25m for the 33-year-old.
Should Aubameyang complete a switch to Stamford Bridge, he'll reunite with Thomas Tuchel – who he played under for two years at Borussia Dortmund, winning the DFB-Pokal (German cup) in 2016/17.
It would also mark a quick return to the Premier League for the former Gabon international, who left Arsenal in rather acrimonious circumstances in February.
Aubameyang had been stripped of the Gunners captaincy in December for disciplinary reasons and never played for the club again.
However, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has suggested that he would be glad to see the 2018/19 Premier League Golden Boot joint-winner back in England.
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When asked earlier this month if he expected Aubameyang to receive a positive reception from Gunners fans, Arteta said:
"I hope he does because I think he deserves that. There are moments in life; there are moments in your career [when] sometimes the trajectory or the objective of each individual is different to the club's, and you have to respect that."
Chelsea's first encounter with Arsenal this season comes on November 5 at Stamford Bridge.
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Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...
