Why Chelsea NEED to complete Aubameyang signing

James Shearman

• 26 Aug 2022 17:11 CDT
• 3 min read

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's expected move from Barcelona to Chelsea has stalled over the forward's contract expectations.

Aubameyang is on the verge of a reunion with former Borussia Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge after Chelsea turned to the player in the wake of Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner's departures.

Barca have received an offer worth around £18 million for their star, but while they are delighted with his contribution since arriving from Arsenal, his exit would do much to ease the club's still-precarious financial state.

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A deal was expected to be struck as early as this weekend, but last-minute issues with Chelsea's offer of personal terms may intervene.

According to the Sun, the Blues and Aubameyang do not see eye to eye on the contract the Gabon international has been offered to move back to the Premier League.

Of particular concern to the player is the contract's duration, with only a one-year deal currently on the table.

Aubameyang would prefer to sign for two seasons, while his contract at Camp Nou runs until June 2025.

Chelsea, however, have a strict policy when dealing with veterans like the 33-year-old forward.

Both David Luiz and Willian left after the club refused to issue long-term contracts to the Brazilian duo, while captain Cesar Azpilicueta was close to following suit before a compromise was struck.

Chelsea's clear need for an elite centre-forward - the likes of Kai Havertz and Raheem Sterling have operated there so far this season to varied levels of success - and Tuchel's own fondness might just prove enough to prompt them to break that unwritten rule another time and accommodate Aubameyang in their squad for the next two seasons.

Why Chelsea need Aubameyang

With Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner both having left the club, and Armando Broja picking up a knock, as well as not being an established Chelsea player, Kai Havertz has a free run at the Blues starting XI.

But his performances so far this season have been poor and he deserves to be dropped; he had just 33 touches against Everton and 39 against Leeds.

Even worse, across the first three games of the Premier League campaign, Havertz has taken just two shots on target, and has failed to create a big chance.

There's nobody who can replace him, though, meaning his form goes unpunished.

Whether Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the right man to bench Havertz going forward is unknown, but another body in attack is needed because Havertz hasn't shown enough to deserve a starting berth at current.