Chelsea sign Aubameyang from Barcelona for €12M fee
After a lengthy negotiation, Chelsea and Barcelona finally agreed to a €12-million deal on deadline day that sent Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang back to London.
The veteran striker inked a two-year contract with the Blues. His deal includes an option for an additional season, sources told James Olley of ESPN. The option is based on the number of appearances he makes for Chelsea during the 2023-24 campaign, Olley notes.
"I'm really happy. It's an honour to be part of this team and I can't wait to start," Aubameyang said. "I have some unfinished business with the Premier League so it's good to be back and really exciting."
"I have some unfinished business with the Premier League so it's good to be back and really exciting."
Aubameyang, 33, arrived in London on Thursday afternoon to complete his medicals ahead of the transfer window closing at 6 p.m. ET. The signing was eventually announced after the official closure of the window, but was allowed to go through because Chelsea submitted the necessary paperwork to the Premier League in time.
The former Arsenal captain sustained a broken jaw during an armed robbery at his home in Spain earlier this week and is expected to be sidelined for roughly three weeks. That harrowing incident, and the accompanying injury, didn't prove prohibitive to the transfer.
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel, who has been vocal about his team's need to make significant improvements after a patchy start to the new season, is believed to have been the catalyst behind the club's pursuit of Aubameyang. The pair worked together and enjoyed success at Borussia Dortmund.
Chelsea, who have focused primarily on bolstering their backline during a summer of lavish spending, lost both Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner; the pair rejoined former clubs Inter Milan and RB Leipzig, respectively.
With Raheem Sterling still acclimating to his new team and others around him struggling thus far, the Blues have scored only six goals through five Premier League matches.
Chelsea also announced the departure of left wing-back Marcos Alonso by mutual consent. The Spaniard is expected to join Barcelona in a separate deal to the Aubameyang transaction.