Fabrizio Romano reveals Chelsea will allow Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to leave for free
According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea will let Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leave for free, as he is set to join Ligue 1 side Olympique de Marseille after agreeing personal terms with them in the summer transfer window.
The 34-year-old will sign a four-year contract with the French club that will remain valid until 2026 and will see him compete in European football next season. The French top division is admittedly a step-down but will suit the veteran who has seen better days in his career.
Aubameyang’s nightmare spell will finally come to an end at Stamford Bridge after playing a mere handful of games and netting just three goals in all competitions. He, however, has enough in his tank to resurrect his career elsewhere.
Aubameyang’s prolific form at Barcelona convinced Thomas Tuchel to urge Chelsea to sign the Gabonese striker. The former Arsenal forward joined the West Londoners from Barcelona on summer deadline day in 2022 for £12 million. But his stint soon turned into a mess as the German manager was sacked and under then-Graham Potter he became a liability.
He barely featured in any matches and was eventually omitted from the Champions League squad under Potter, making it certain that the 34-year-old would be sold in the summer window. Despite Frank Lampard’s arrival, Aubameyang continued to struggle and was a pale shadow of the player he once was.
Now the 34-year-old striker will have another shot to revive his career in a different league. Aubameyang also had offers from Saudi Arabia, and it looks like he wants to remain in Europe. Marseille can give him just the platform to do that.
It will be a good move for the Gabonese striker, as he still has great qualities despite his poor time at Chelsea, and will be an excellent boost for Marseille’s forward line. We have done well in offloading the deadwood this summer, opening up space in the squad and also restructuring our wage bill.
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Aubameyang’s exit was necessary as he would have been surplus to requirements for next season. His departure will help the club offload unnecessary wages off the books. With Romelu Lukaku also expected to leave, the focus should shift to bringing in a new striker as soon as possible.