Chelsea will reportedly let out-of-favour Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leave the club this summer – but not to rejoin Barcelona after they were left furious when he went to support his former team in El Clasico this month.
Aubameyang – who arrived at Stamford Bridge for £12million in the summer from the Catalan giants – has endured a miserable spell in west London.
Within six days and one match of joining, his former boss at Borussia Dortmund, Thomas Tuchel, was dismissed and he has struggled for game time since.
The former Arsenal skipper has scored just three goals in 18 appearances, was left out of their Champions League squad for the knockout stages and is yet to start a Premier League game since the World Cup break.
As a result, it seems clear Aubameyang will depart this summer and according to Spanish outlet AS, his preferred destination would be a return to the Nou Camp, while Inter Milan are among other teams credited with an interest.
Chelsea will let Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang join any club other than Barcelona this summer
The Blues were infuriated after Aubameyang watched and celebrated with his former Barcelona colleagues after they defeated Real Madrid 2-1 in El Clasico earlier this month
However, during this month’s El Clasico, where Franck Kessie netted a last minute winner to ensure Xavi’s side moved 12 points clear of Real Madrid, Aubameyang was spotted at the Nou Camp, and after the game he joined his former team-mates in celebrating their huge victory.
In an Instagram story posted by Spanish forward Ferran Torres, Aubameyang, who was only at Barca for seven months but remains close with several first team members, was pictured in the thick of the dressing-room festivities.
Torres captioned the story ‘Grande’, meaning big or great in Spanish, while also tagging the out-of-favour Chelsea man.
Aubameyang joining in these celebrations reportedly infuriated Chelsea, who are now determined not to sell the player back to Barcelona as a result.
The two sides were involved in several rival transfer moves during the summer, with Barcelona pipping the Blues to the signings of Jules Kounde and Raphinha.
The report goes onto state that with various Financial Fair Play limitations, the Catalan giants see the Chelsea striker as an affordable but quality signing they could make – although players will have to be shipped out to accommodate a potential arrival.
But they will reportedly have plenty of work to do in convincing the Blues to part way with Aubameyang, as Graham Potter’s outfit are unlikely to make it easy for them.
Chelsea return to action on Saturday evening with a home clash against Aston Villa, with Potter’s side aiming to rein in the 11-point deficit to the top four.
Aubameyang would like to return to his former club, who he left in the summer to join the Blues
He has endured a miserable time at Chelsea, struggling for game time and netting three goals
Source: dailymail.co.uk
