Barcelona make Aubameyang U-turn

Karan Tejwani

• 16 Jan 2023 09:25 GMT
• 3 min read

Barcelona are considering the possibility of re-signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and looking at the legalities of getting a deal done.

The Blaugrana are looking for a forward with the sale of Memphis Depay in January looking likely as Atletico Madrid are set to sign the Dutchman.

It’s now been reported that Barcelona are looking to complete a free transfer for Aubameyang, who only left them earlier in the season as he went to Chelsea.

READ: Aubameyang in transfer bind after Fulham snub

Under FIFA rules, Aubameyang can only play for Chelsea or Barcelona this season having already featured for the Spanish club at the start of the campaign.

Barcelona looking to sign Aubameyang

However, Barcelona fear that won’t work having seen Dani Ceballos endure the same problem when he swapped Real Betis for Real Madrid four years ago.

The licensing system of the Spanish FA states in Article 126.5 of RFEF General Regulations that players who had their license cancelled cannot obtain a new one of the same club in the same season.

READ: Stuck at Chelsea: Aubameyang BLOCKED from Barcelona return

Barcelona are now looking to see if this applies to Aubameyang, and will be keen to bring him back in January, having first signed him last year after his contract at Arsenal ran out.

Aubameyang hasn’t made a major impact since his move to Chelsea, which happened late in the summer transfer window as the Blues were looking for a new forward.

Thomas Tuchel, the former Chelsea boss, agreed to the deal having shared a good relationship with the Gabon forward when the pair were together at Borussia Dortmund.

However, that form hasn’t been translated to his time at Stamford Bridge and he isn’t a big part of new manager Graham Potter’s plans at Chelsea this season.

The Blues have been happy to spend big under Todd Boehly and it’s unlikely that Aubameyang has a long future at Chelsea even if he stays at the club.