Get reacquainted with the former Arsenal and Dortmund striker who reunites with Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea following a stop at Barcelona.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is back in the Premier League after a last-minute deadline day transfer from Barcelona to Chelsea.The Gabon international joins the Blues for a transfer fee of €12 million ($11.88 million), with Spain international left back Marcos Alonso also headed to the Camp Nou as part of the deal. Soccer insider Fabrizio Romano reported that Auba would sign a two-year contract with the club, plus a third-year option.
The news unfortunately comes after the striker suffered a fractured jaw in a robbery at his home, ruling him out of completion for at least the next two fixtures, per manager Thomas Tuchel.
Previously, Aubameyang’s falling-out with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta ended his last stint in London after four years; shortly after, a deal was made to send the striker to Barcelona on a free transfer. Due to the financial woes at Camp Nou, the Catalan side has been forced to offload as much salary as possible in order to register and pay their current crop.
Six months, 18 appearances, and 11 goals later, Auba finds himself back in London — this time donning the famous Chelsea Blue.
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The Aubameyang signing means a much-needed punch of goal-scoring prowess heads to Thomas Tuchel’s side just ahead of the start of the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League. After signing Raheem Sterling from Manchester City earlier in the window and parting ways with Romelu Lukaku for a second time, the club lacked a traditional No. 9. Due to having a previous relationship with Tuchel as his manager back at Borussia Dortmund, their familiarity and past success made the rekindled relationship sensible.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Contract & Transfer Details
Contract length: 3 years (final year is a club option)
Expected weekly wages: Not reported
Free agency: 2024 or 2025
Base transfer fee: $11,876,000 (€12,000,000); Chelsea also sends Marcos Alonso to Barcelona to complete the deal
Player Swap:: Marcos Alonso to Barcelona
Estimated market value: $16,500,000 (via Transfermarkt)
Aubameyang’s Stats Per 90
| Category | Stat Per 90 | Percentile |
| Goals | 0.62 | 85 |
| Shots on Target | 1.50 | 94 |
| Goals per Shot | 0.20 | 86 |
| Pass Completion % | 74.3% | 66 |
| Assists | 0.07 | 26 |
How Aubameyang Fits in at Chelsea
Aubameyang is walking into a situation that ought to be a perfect fit. Cracks have appeared at Stamford Bridge in both the defensive group and the front line, but the club ultimately needs goal scoring above all else — and Aubameyang provides exactly that at a star level.
He’s the consistent finisher that Chelsea needs after both Lukaku and Timo Werner left West London to return to their previous clubs. And while options like Christian Pulisic and Kai Havertz struggle to produce consistently, there’s plenty of room for Auba to step in and make an immediate impact as soon as he’s fully ready to play.
And for anyone who believes that the man can’t perform at a high level in the Premier League at age 33, think again.
During his short time at Barcelona, he was one of the best attacking options on a team carrying six forwards. He still possesses the necessary pace to blaze past defenders with relative ease and a scoring touch that he’ll presumably bring for eternity.
The form with which Aubameyang returns from injury will determine if Chelsea finally has a trustworthy striker on their hands. If everything works out, the club could see a return to the trophy conversation both domestically and abroad sooner rather than later.
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