Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Chelsea have an interest in Gabonese forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who currently plays for Barcelona in La Liga. Aubameyang is the latest in a series of targets that the West London club has been considering over the past few weeks, and would provide valuable experience with 310 goals in his career so far, but having struggled with Arsenal before moving to Spain last January, many would be concerned about relying on him as the Blues’ main striker.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Interest to Chelsea
Chelsea are now considering Pierre Emerick Aubameyang as potential new striker. Discussions have already started on player side, still no bid to Barcelona. 🚨🔵 #CFC
He’s one of the names in Chelsea list after meeting for Sesko and other targets. #FCB pic.twitter.com/hvsqIGpYMJ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 3, 2022
Why Are Chelsea Interested in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang?
Chelsea are interested in Aubameyang for a few reasons. The first of these is that the club currently lacks a significant goal threat. The London side have been looking for a replacement for Romelu Lukaku since his departure from the club at the very start of the window. With interest in Benjamin Sesko coming from clubs such as Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain, the market for a quality centre-forward is highly competitive this season.
Aubameyang is a player with plenty of Premier League experience, making him ideal for a club such as Chelsea. The London side are looking for players with experience in high-end football. The Gabonese forward’s time at Arsenal, where he was described as “special” and Barcelona makes him an ideal candidate for that. His suitability for the position, in combination with Barcelona’s increasing need to get players off the books to register new signings, makes him an inevitable Chelsea target.
Does Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Suit the Way Chelsea Play?
Chelsea are looking for a central forward, replacing the goalscoring role of Romelu Lukaku. However, Aubameyang is not exclusively a striker. The forward has experience of playing out on the left wing and drifting inside into dangerous positions rather than starting there. When lining up centrally, Aubameyang has less of a strong track record.
Signing the Barcelona man has the potential to work for Chelsea if they increase their focus on wide players, but the move risks affecting the squad. Players such as Timo Werner already have an interest in leaving Thomas Tuchel’s side, and adding Aubameyang to the squad risks the playing time of some other fringe players. For example, Mason Mount’s position on the left could suffer, and shifting Mount inside means that a player like Conor Gallagher would lose out on minutes. Chelsea’s squad is already very finely balanced; tipping it either way risks complete disarray behind the scenes and on the pitch.
How Has Chelsea’s Transfer Window Been Going?
Chelsea are having a difficult window. After the early signing of Raheem Sterling, the club has lost the races for both Raphinha and Jules Kounde, both to Barcelona. Todd Boehly is looking to please Thomas Tuchel as much as possible in this window, but losing out on the majority of the club’s targets isn’t helping morale within the team.
Signing Aubameyang risks stability within the dressing room. Worse than that, it is a sign of a worrying boardroom. Rushing into signings at the top of the pitch with a dearth of centre-backs presents an image of a club in crisis. The best way forward for Chelsea is a clear strategy, rather than the current scattershot approach that sees the London side trying to hijack the moves of every other top six side. Whilst the new ownership has potential, getting this window right is key to a productive future at the club.
