Chelsea will hold what has been described as intensive talks with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on Wednesday as they look to push the signing of the 33-year-old striker over the line.
The experienced striker will be sacrificed by Barcelona this summer just a matter of months after luring him to Spain from Arsenal. He has impressed during his brief stint in LaLiga, scoring 13 times in 24 appearances for the Blaugrana. But the summer signing of Robert Lewandowski means Aubameyang’s time at the Nou Camp will only be a brief one.
To that end, Barca are willing to cash in to the tune of £25m. That has got Chelsea interested, though an opening £15m offer was swiftly turned down. That has not stopped Thomas Tuchel’s side pursuing a deal, with the Blues looking largely toothless in attack.
Indeed, they have lost successive away games in the Premier League, losing to Southampton on Tuesday evening after defeat at Leeds previously. That latest setback prompted Tuchel into an astonishing admission over the fragility of his players.
As a result of the defeat, Chelsea are reportedly now stepping up their plans to bring in Aubameyang.
The Blues have previously seen a disagreement over his personal terms scupper those prospects of signing him. Indeed, Chelsea were only prepared to offer the striker a one-year deal in line with club policy on players over the age of 30.
But with Aubameyang seeking a two-year deal, it seems Chelsea will now have to relent.
Per The Athletic’s David Ornstein, those talks will intensify on Wednesday as the two clubs look to reach agreement.
However, Ornstein also drops the revelation that Aubameyang is now facing a number of weeks on the sidelines.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang victim of horrible home burglary
That’s after the striker was the victim of an horrific home burglary earlier this week. Masked intruders broke into the striker’s home and robbed him and his family violently.
And according to Ornstein, Aubameyang suffered a horrendous broken jaw in the assault, which will sideline him for a number of weeks.
All the same, Chelsea owner Todd Boehly remains intent on securing his signing. With talks slotted in for Wednesday, Chelsea are also potentially considering taking the former Arsenal star on a season’s loan.
Per Sport, the deal for Aubayemang could go through in a ‘matter of hours’. Aubayemang is the only striker Chelsea are chasing and he fits the profile of the No 9 that Tuchel is looking for.
With Barcelona unlikely to oppose Chelsea’s bid for the player, it will now be down to the player himself.
Should the move be a permanent deal, the Blues will need to offer Aubameyang a longer-term deal.
Were a loan to be the favourable option, Boehly will likely need to cover the entirity of the striker’s wages.
Sport reports that any permanent deal for Pierre-Emerick Aubayemang will likely set Chelsea back £21.5m (€25m) plus bonuses.
The Blues are the only side in the hunt for Aubameyang with Manchester United no longer considered a contender for his signature.
