Barcelona only willing to re-sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Chelsea on one condition
Barcelona are keen to bring Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang back to Camp Nou this summer but are not willing to pay a fee to Chelsea, according to reports in Spain.
In a transaction worth about £10 million, the 33-year-old left Catalonia last summer after only six months with the team. Barca had signed him on a free transfer after his contract with Arsenal was ripped up.
With 11 goals in 17 La Liga games during his brief stay at Camp Nou, Aubameyang thoroughly liked his time there and would have happily stayed.
Aubameyang was one of the few players Barca could sell to raise money to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations, and the chance to work with Thomas Tuchel again at Chelsea was another big draw.
But within a week of his signing, Tuchel was sacked and replaced by Graham Potter, with Aubameyang’s place and role in the side suddenly thrown into doubt.
In the Premier League, he has made just four starts, scoring his last goal in October. At the turn of the year, his miserable tenure at Chelsea got even worse when he was left off the Blues' Champions League roster.
Despite his lack of opportunities at Stamford Bridge, Barca remain big fans of Aubameyang and Mundo Deportivoare reporting that the club are keen on a reunion this summer – but only if Chelsea waive a transfer fee.
Aubameyang is well-liked in the dressing room – even visiting last month and joining the celebrations after Barca’s Clasico win over Real Madrid – and would act as cover for Robert Lewandowski.
The player himself is eager to return and has made a move to Barca his top priority.
While Chelsea would ideally like to receive a fee, they are conscious of the fact he is not playing while sitting on a mammoth salary and are keen to cut ties in the summer.