July 21, (THEWILL) – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has finalised his transfer to French Ligue 1 side, Marseille, marking the latest departure in manager Mauricio Pochettino’s ongoing squad overhaul.
The 34-year-old ex-Gabon international’s time in west London was marred by a lack of form and opportunities, resulting in a solitary goal in 15 English Premier League appearances for the Blues. Aubameyang’s departure from Chelsea was confirmed by Marseille on Friday, concluding his challenging stint in London.
Aubameyang’s return to Ligue 1 brings him back to familiar territory, having previously played for St Etienne between 2011 and 2013, and enjoyed loan spells with Dijon, Lille, and Monaco. His transfer to Chelsea in September, part of a deal that saw Marcos Alonso move to Barcelona, failed to yield the desired impact. The striker struggled to settle in under the management of Thomas Tuchel and found himself excluded from the squad for the Champions League knock-out stages by former boss, Graham Potter, in February. It became increasingly apparent that his future at Stamford Bridge was limited.
As Pochettino shapes his Chelsea squad ahead of the new season, Aubameyang joins a growing list of departures from the club. Players like Kai Havertz and Mason Mount have already left for EPL rivals Arsenal and Manchester United, respectively, while Romelu Lukaku, previously donning the “cursed” number nine shirt, Hakim Ziyech, and Callum Hudson-Odoi are notably absent from the current pre-season tour of the United States.
The Argentine manager’s restructuring efforts aim to cut down on Chelsea’s bloated squad, improve the performances of the Blues and build a formidable team for the upcoming campaigns. They will be restricted to domestic competitions as they failed to qualify for Europe.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
