Aubameyang leaves Chelsea fuming with Barcelona trip

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has reportedly left Chelsea unhappy after travelling to Barcelona for the El Clasico last weekend. The Gabon captain entered the Catalonians’ changing room after injury-time victory and is said to have suggested that he would like a return to the Nou Camp with the Blues believed to be open to ripping up his contract.

Aubameyang’s move to Chelsea has been something of a disaster with the 33-year-old commanding very little game time. He was one of Thomas Tuchel’s signings but the German was sacked just weeks after his arrival with Graham Potter preferring Kai Havertz as his first choice No 9.

Aubameyang has featured just 18 times for Chelsea this season, scoring three while his match action has been massively reduced since the World Cup. He was left out of Potter’s Champions League squad and it is widely expected that he will depart in the summer.

A return to Barcelona has been one of the moves mooted and the striker only strengthened those rumours with his actions over the weekend, travelling to the Camp Nou to support his former team-mates in El Clasico. The Blaugrana emerged victorious thanks to an injury-time winner from Franck Kessie with Aubameyang joining the post-match celebrations in the dressing room.

Goal reports that his actions have angered some within Stamford Bridge who are open to terminating his contract at the end of the season. Aubameyang seems keen on a long-term return to the Nou Camp and would be prepared to accept a reduced wage to make it happen.

In the meantime, the forward may have to get used to life on the bench at Stamford Bridge. Potter has sympathised with his situation and has suggested things could change in the future if he continues to show a good attitude.

“In my job every player while they are here is important,” Potter explained last month. “Every player should understand their situation and be treated with respect and then it’s their decision how to act and he has acted fantastically. He really has.

“We have got Joao, we have Kai, we have got David. We thought we wanted to get more of a look at them in the short term. But that’s not to say it’s a terminal situation for Pierre. We had to be honest with him and give him time. That was why he was out of the previous match. But while he is here it’s not to say that will always be the case.”