Spanish giants FC Barcelona are plotting a summer move for Gabon captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to our friends at Football Insider. Aubameyang joined Barcelona in January last year from Arsenal but left in the summer to join Chelsea.
Aubameyang’s move to Chelsea was approved so that Barcelona could save some money due to their financial state, but he had a successful spell there, scoring 13 goals in 24 matches that helped the Catalan giant finish second and secure Champions League football.
Now, he feels like he has unfinished business in Spain, especially after falling out of favour with Chelsea Boss Graham Potter which has seen his playing time to almost none at the Stamford Bridge.
Barcelona are open to re-signing the experienced marksman once the transfer window opens in June this year, but under one condition: no transfer fees for him.
Since the Catalans are still cash-strapped, but want to reinforce their attack, they don’t want to pay any transfer fees for Aubameyang, but his salary would be catered for. He currently earns over £300,000 a week at Chelsea.
Barcelona’s plan could be helped by the fact that Chelsea are willing to terminate Aubameyang’s contract at the end of the season since it doesn’t make financial sense to keep paying him when he is not playing, but it is yet to be revealed whether they would allow him to walk for free.
Sources close to the matter have revealed that some clubs from Saudi Arabia could be interested in securing the signature of Aubameyang and since they come with oil money, Barcelona’s free pursuit of him could be dealt a blow, even if they remain the player’s priority at the moment.
