Chelsea 'agree' Aubameyang deal: Why Tuchel came calling for Barcelona striker? How Arsenal fans reacted?
Chelsea has reportedly agreed on a deal with Barcelona to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with Marcos Alonso going the other way. But why did the 33-year-old striker's old mentor call for his services? How have Arsenal fans reacted to their former captain's return to Premier League action, but for London rivals?
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FollowChelsea has reportedly agreed on a deal with Barcelona to sign the north-London club's former captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with Marcos Alonso going the other way. The Gabon international, whose contract with Arsenal was terminated owing to disciplinary issues in January, returns to Premier League action after the Blues are understood to be paying in the region of 10 million pounds plus Alonso for the former Gunners captain.
With personal terms not anticipated to be an issue, Aubameyang has been permitted to fly to the UK for his medical and to finalise the agreement.
In a weekend attack on his home, Aubameyang sustained a slight jaw fracture. The Gabon forward can start non-contact training after a three-week anticipated layoff.
In January, Aubameyang left Arsenal for Barcelona on a free transfer. His contract had three more years to run. Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is eager to reunite with the striker, who scored 79 goals for him in two seasons at Borussia Dortmund, despite his reluctance to discuss him in public.
"Some players stay your players because you were very, very close - and Auba is one of those players," Tuchel told journalists last month, effectively validating reports Chelsea were eying a move for his former striker.
Under new owner Todd Boehly, the Blues has already spent 268 million pounds this summer on players, including Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella, Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly.
Chelsea needs Aubameyang to provide immediate impact
While the Gabonese player made headlines at Arsenal for both the right and wrong reasons, Aubameyang under Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund simply produced goals, scoring 56 Bundesliga goals in 63 games over two seasons. That relationship ended when Dortmund fired Tuchel after the 2016–17 campaign. The striker subsequently joined the Gunners in the winter transfer window of 2018 for a then-club-record 60 million pounds, and he immediately made an impact with ten league goals in only 12 starts.
However, Aubameyang's goal ratio dipped drastically over four seasons and culminated with his removal as club captain for disciplinary reasons before leaving Emirates by mutual consent six weeks later and joining Barcelona on a free transfer. The flashy forward exploded onto the La Liga scene last season, averaging nearly one goal per game and enabling the Catalan club to advance from fifth place to finish second to rival Real Madrid.
Also read: Real Madrid star Karim Benzema breaks his silence on this year's Ballon d'Or hopes
However, despite continued controversy over their haste to raise money and sign new players, including former Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski, Barca has been active in the transfer market this summer. The La Liga giants opened the door for the Gabonese to leave the club after only seven months at Camp Nou. But will the 33-year-old provide Chelsea the much-needed impact?
Having collaborated successfully for the two years that ended five years ago, Aubameyang would fit perfectly with Tuchel's objectives.
Romelu Lukaku, who was loaned back to old club Inter Milan this season after failing to light up after his 97.5 million pounds return to the club last season, would be replaced at No. 9 by Aubameyang, who has a history of having immediate effects.
During the German's tenure, Chelsea has struggled with an age-old problem: converting chances. The Blues have the seventh-worst expected-goal differential in the division despite having only played five games.
Mason Mount leads Chelsea in league goals under Tuchel, followed by the adaptable Kai Havertz, who recently took on the position of a false No 9, holding midfielder and penalty taker Jorginho, and cameo winger Christian Pulisic.
Aubameyang also offers adaptability and positional mobility. During his time at the Emirates, the striker functioned equally well in both the left flank and central positions. He is likely to largely occupy a central position, which will free up summer addition Raheem Sterling to play down his preferred wide channel.
Tuchel will be hoping his former favourite can have another spectacular performance with the Blues, who have two wins to their name after five games and sitting ninth in the Premier League table.
Arsenal fans miffed with the Aubameyang deal
While Chelsea fans would relish the arrival of Aubameyang to Stamford Bridge, supporters of their London rivals Arsenal appear to be disappointed with the Gabonese superstar's move. The deal has sparked a massive outburst on Twitter, with fans of the current Premier League table toppers stating they did not expect their former captain to move to the Blues. Here's a look a some of the reactions:
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