Aubameyang to undergo medical after Chelsea agree £10m deal

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is set to fly-in to London to undergo his medical after Chelsea agreed a deal with Barcelona worth £10.3m plus Marcos Alsonso, according to reports.

Chelsea have struggled this season in all aspects and are currently ninth in the Premier League table. Thomas Tuchel’s side have only managed to net six goals from their five outings so the Blues have been desperately trying to strengthen their attack.

Aubameyang has been touted as their prime target in recent weeks and after tough negotiations with Barcelona, it appears a deal is finally going to go through before the window closes at 11pm tonight.

According to journalist Florian Plettenberg, an agreement in principal has been reached between the two clubs that will see Chelsea pay £10.3m [€12m] for Aubameyang plus Marcos Alonso heading in the opposite direction.

Plettenberg says the 33-year-old hitman is scheduled to fly to London in the coming hours to undergo his medical. Mundo Deportivo reporter Ferran Martinez supports this claim as he also says Aubameyang is due to travel to the UK for his medical.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein claims a deal is on the verge of completion with the Gabon international set to sign a two-year contract with Chelsea, plus an option to extend by a further year.

So, it looks like Chelsea will sign the striker they desperately need on deadline day, and Barcelona will offload a high earner from their books. Aubameyang only joined the former La Liga champions last winter on a one-and-a-half-year deal but is set for a return to London. 

The arrival of Robert Lewandowski has pushed the former Arsenal striker down the pecking order and his exit will allow Xavi Hernandez to make new signings. 

Our View

Aubameyang is a proven performer on English soil, having previously established himself as a prolific striker during his time with Arsenal. The Gabon international registered 163 appearances for the North London side, netting 92 goals in the process before he was unceremoniously ousted from the squad last winter. 

Auba has previously played under Tuchel which is why the German tactician’s interest in him makes sense. He is an experienced finisher and at the age of 33, an excellent option for the role of a second striker. 

He is agile, pacey, and lethal in the box and is easily one of the better marksmen in Europe. It is unlikely that he will have a major role to play at Barcelona this season so a move to West London makes sense at this stage of his career.