Chelsea on verge of £6.5m U-turn for Aubameyang as Alonso is included in deal

Joe Williams
Chelsea target Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang signals the crowd

Chelsea are close to agreeing a fee to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona ahead of the transfer deadline, according to reports.

The Blues have been searching for a striker all summer after allowing Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner to leave earlier in the window.

Thomas Tuchel’s side have scored just six goals in five Premier League matches so far this season and they will be hoping Aubameyang can help improve that.


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Aubameyang left Arsenal at the end of the January transfer window with the Gunners deciding to terminate his contract after a number of disciplinary issues.

But the Gabon international is now set to return to England with The Athletic reporter David Ornstein claiming that Chelsea are ‘on the verge of an agreement to sign’ Aubameyang.

There had been reports earlier this week that Chelsea had withdrawn a €15m offer for Aubameyang but they have now changed their mind and gone back in for the striker.

Ornstein believes the new deal ‘to be worth around €7.5million (£6.5m) plus the defender Marcos Alonso moving in the opposite direction.’

If all goes well, Aubameyang will sign a two-year deal with an option of a third year and ‘talks are finally moving towards a conclusion’.

Aubameyang, who has scored 13 goals in 24 matches since moving to the Camp Nou, is ‘still in Barcelona as the two clubs continue negotiating’.

But former Premier League striker Noel Whelan thinks the deal represents a “risk” for Chelsea with Aubameyang now 33 years old.

“It’s a stopgap, it’s a plug,” Whelan told Football Insider. “You could probably get one or two years out of him. So, depending on the price, it could be a good bit of business.

“Barca need the money, and Chelsea are throwing it around left, right, and centre.

“It’s a risk, a short-term solution. All it takes is one injury, and you’re back to square one. He’s not 23 anymore – he’s 33, so you’re prone to more injuries.

“The Premier League is much more demanding than La Liga now – so it could end up being a mistake.”