Chelsea are on the verge of agreeing on a deal with Barcelona for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with Marcos Alonso going the other way.
According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Chelsea are on the verge of signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona. The Spanish giants will receive €7.5 million plus Marcos Alonso in the part-exchange deal, with the Gabonese striker expected to fly into London for his medicals and formalities.
Thomas Tuchel will be eager to see Chelsea land a new striker before the summer transfer window closes, as the Blues are inching towards signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Chelsea have been talking to Barcelona for quite some time, and now it may seem a deal is closer to a conclusion.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang spent many years at Arsenal before joining Barcelona this past winter on a free transfer. The Gunners decided to mutually terminate his contract as the striker fell out with Mikel Arteta.
Since joining Barcelona, Aubameyang has scored 13 goals in 24 appearances across all competitions and was primed to have a big season ahead. However, with the arrival of long-time adversary Robert Lewandowski and the financial crisis engulfing the Catalan club, cashing in on the forward became an option for Barcelona.
? Chelsea on verge of agreement to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona. Latest bid ~€7.5m + Marcos Alonso. Proposed deal 2+1y (y3 based on % of apps in y2). 33yo currently in Barcelona. Moving towards conclusion @TheAthleticUK #CFC #FCBarcelona https://t.co/ZiKsnQjGDO
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) September 1, 2022
Chelsea have been the only club excited about taking the 33-year-old forward, and they have seen a series of bids get rejected by Barcelona. However, as things stand, the Catalan giants have reportedly accepted the latest proposal, with Aubameyang inching closer to signing for the Blues.
Chelsea have offered €7.5 million plus Marcos Alonso as part of the deal, which may be sufficient for Barcelona to accept. The Gabonese striker will sign a two-year contract with the option of a third, which will depend on the percentage of appearances in his second year.
There were reports earlier in August claiming Barcelona were to demand at least €25-30 million for Aubameyang, which now seems off the mark. As things stand, Tuchel is likely to get a striker he craves, and the player knows the Chelsea manager very well from their time together at Borussia Dortmund.
Meanwhile, Aubameyang was in the news recently after a burglary attempt at his home in Barcelona. The striker was reportedly left with a broken jaw as he attempted to protect his wife from the perpetrators, which will keep him sidelined for several weeks.
The injury is not considered significant in his transfer proceedings, as the Gabonese will reportedly fly into London to complete his medicals and other formalities before joining Chelsea from Barcelona.
