Aubameyang wants to stay at Barcelona despite Chelsea link

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been linked with a move to Chelsea recently. However, the striker is keen to stay in Barcelona.

The Spanish website Mundo Deportivo has reported that:

“The footballer had fought for four years to be able to get to Barça and that now, when he feels comfortable and being important within the project, he is not willing to change.

“Despite the fact that the signing of Lewandowski by Barça has increased the competition to be the centre forward of the team, ‘Auba’ is willing to compete with the Polish striker, with whom he also has a good relationship from the year they coincided at Borussia Dortmund.

“Xavi Hernández also has the Gabonese striker for his project. The coach considers that with him and Lewandowski, Barça has two of the most powerful ‘9’ in Europe and the team will benefit greatly from this competition.”

Why does Aubameyang want to stay at Barca?

Since arriving in Spain, Aubameyang has scored 13 goals in 23 appearances for the club. He helped  Barcelona finish 2nd place in La Liga last season, second only to Real Madrid who finished 13 points above the Blaugrana.

He has only been at the club since January so will want to establish himself at the club and leave a legacy there by being successful for at least a few more years. He is 33 now and has already had four years playing in England with Arsenal.

Barcelona’s forward line has been strengthened with Lewandowski arriving from Bayern Munich and Raphinha from Leeds. Aubameyang can look forward to playing alongside these two great players next season.

Aubameyang got a lot of bad press in England when his time at Arsenal came to an end as he was stripped of the captaincy and then had his contract terminated. The Spanish press can also be unforgiving but as yet he is yet to have any mishaps at Barcelona.

Could Chelsea tempt him away?

Chelsea needs a striker having let Romelu Lukaku go back to Inter Milan without replacing him. Their season begins with a trip to Everton tomorrow so will be desperate to get a striker in soon.

Thomas Tuchel was Aubameyang’s manager at Borussia Dortmund so could be tempted to reunite with his former boss. He played well under Tuchel in the Bundesliga scoring 56 goals in 63 appearances in their two seasons together at the club.

Aubameyang has a good record in the Premier League with 68 goals in 128 appearances. However, his time at Arsenal ended badly so a return to England if he plays well and shows a good attitude will help him right this wrong.

If he was to join Chelsea then an awkward encounter with Mikel Arteta could be on the cards for the 5th of November when the Gunners visit Stamford Bridge.

Barcelona is a club that is not in the best financial situation and with the addition of Lewandowski in particular may feel they need to sell to balance their books. It would be interesting to see him back in the Premier League