10 February 2023 , 21:21
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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has had a dramatic change of heart over his future and decided to stay at Chelsea despite tumbling down the pecking order under Graham Potter.
The veteran striker, 33, was on the verge of joining Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC, with reports earlier this week claiming he already had one foot outside the Stamford Bridge exit door. This came after he was left out of Chelsea's squad for the Champions League knockout stage to accommodate some of the club's January arrivals.
Aubameyang scored just three goals during the first half of the season following his £10million return to the Premier League from Barcelona. The former Arsenal captain appeared ready to put English football behind him with a February exit on loan, but he has performed a drastic U-turn.
That is according to the Daily Telegraph, which claims Aubameyang wants to fight for his place at Chelsea rather than move to LAFC. Despite the fact he is entering the twilight years of his career, the former Gabon international does not view it as the right time to move to MLS.
The report notes Aubameyang's decision is partly motivated by the fact there are three European giants monitoring his situation ahead of the summer window. AC Milan and Atletico Madrid are keeping tabs on the centre-forward, while former club Barca are also weighing up a move to re-sign their former player.
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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wants to fight for his place at Chelsea (DeFodi Images via Getty Images)Aubameyang knows the best way of ensuring he continues to play at the highest level is by performing for Chelsea during the run-in. This will be no easy task, as Chelsea added Mykhaylo Mudryk, David Datro Fofana and Joao Felix to their attack in January, but the fact Aubameyang was left out of the Champions League squad could open the door to more involvement in top-flight action.
Aubameyang still feels he is capable of playing regularly for a top side and has impressed Potter with his attitude since returning to training on Monday. Real Madrid duo Luka Modric, 37, and Karim Benzema, 35, won the Champions League-La Liga double last season and Aubameyang views the seasoned pair as an inspiration.
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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang impressed during his brief stint with Barcelona (Getty Images)The striker was playing for Barca at the time and scored 13 times in 23 appearances for the Catalans, proving he remains potent in front of goal. Aubameyang will hope to be involved in Chelsea's squad for their trip to West Ham on Saturday lunchtime, especially as Raheem Sterling has been ruled out with a knock sustained in training.
"He's been training with us this week and training really well," Potter said of Aubameyang ahead of the fixture. "A really good professional, supporting his team-mates. He's doing everything I expect, training well and acting well."