Chelsea forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is on the brink of departing the club as he has reached an agreement to join Marseille. The 34-year-old striker’s time at Chelsea has been underwhelming, scoring only three goals in 22 appearances since his arrival from Barcelona in a £10.3 million deal last September. As a result, he has been excluded from Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the United States.
Aubameyang’s departure comes amidst a wave of transfers at Chelsea during the summer window, with notable players such as Kai Havertz and Mason Mount already leaving the club. Havertz, the German forward, made a move to Arsenal, while Mount, an English international, joined Manchester United.
The Gabonese international, Aubameyang, has had a disappointing stint at Chelsea, and with just one year left on his contract, the decision to part ways seems imminent. The forward was brought to the club by former manager Thomas Tuchel, with whom he had previously worked at Borussia Dortmund. However, Tuchel’s departure shortly after Aubameyang’s arrival impacted his playing time.
Under Tuchel’s replacement, Graham Potter, Aubameyang found himself excluded from the Champions League squad, often making way for Havertz in the forward role. Despite a brief resurgence under Frank Lampard after Potter’s departure in April, Aubameyang struggled to make a significant impact on the pitch.
With Mauricio Pochettino taking charge of Chelsea, several other key players, including Romelu Lukaku, Hakim Ziyech, and Callum Hudson-Odoi, have also been left out of the pre-season trip. The club seems to be undergoing a transition as they prepare for the upcoming season.
As Aubameyang prepares to make his move to Marseille, both he and Chelsea will be hoping for a fresh start. Marseille offers him the opportunity to reignite his career and rediscover his goal-scoring prowess. Meanwhile, Chelsea will be looking to regroup and reshape their squad as they aim for success in the new season under Pochettino’s leadership.
