Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is monitoring Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in view of a transfer for the Chelsea star. But the forward is eager to rejoin Barcelona and retire at Camp Nou.
That is according to Sport, which reports Aubameyang wants to leave Stamford Bridge this summer. He only returned to the Premier League last September after Thomas Tuchel paid the Blaugrana £12m. But the 33-year-old is now firmly out of favour under Graham Potter.
The Blues have not even named Aubameyang in their squad for the rest of the Champions League campaign. Yet he has now rejected a chance to leave west London and join an MLS franchise. Instead, the former Gabon captain is focused on continuing his career in Europe.
But Aubameyang is highly unlikely to continue with Chelsea beyond the current season as he has never felt comfortable there. So, the forward wants to leave as soon as the market re-opens in Europe. He even tried to rejoin Barcelona in January but rules blocked a deal.
Barcelona could not re-register Aubameyang under La Liga rules having played one game before joining Chelsea. So, the 73-cap former international attacker will now try to seal a move in the off-season. He also considers Camp Nou as the ideal place to eventually retire.
Aston Villa may rival Barcelona to agree to a transfer from Chelsea for Aubameyang
Despite Aubameyang’s desperation to return to Catalunya, Barcelona do not see a transfer with Chelsea as a priority. His agents are keeping the Blaugrana aware of events but the La Liga giants know they can bide their time in the hope the Blues agree to release the striker.
Barcelona also hope Aubameyang agrees to play for a low salary again having only earned £32k-a-week there, per Salary Sport. Chelsea now pay him £170k-a-week but have only got one goal in 11 Premier League appearances in return. He has also only started four games.
Potter’s reluctance to trust Aubameyang at Chelsea has caught Emery’s eye with the Aston Villa boss considering potential summer transfers. The Athletic reports the Villans boss has put his former Arsenal attacker on the Birmingham outfit’s radar to better his striker ranks.
Aston Villa and Emery are yet to negotiate any transfer for Aubameyang with Chelsea. But Potter’s refusal to field the forward and the Blues’ need to balance the books may make a deal doable for a player Mikel Arteta calls ‘exceptional’. Especially if Barcelona will not pay.
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