In a recent segment on Twitch, journalist Gerard Romero revealed that Barcelona want to re-sign Chelsea forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. It has been claimed that the Catalan outfit want to bring the Gabon international back to the Nou Camp if Memphis Depay or Franck Kessie leaves the Catalan club this month.
Aubameyang’s Unimpressive Run Of Form At Stamford Bridge
Aubameyang has struggled to be prolific at Chelsea during this campaign and has failed to establish himself as a regular starter in Graham Potter’s first XI. The veteran forward has registered three goals and one assist in 15 matches for the Blues this season across all fronts.
The Gabon talent has seen most of his appearances come as a substitute which could be why he is only averaging 0.8 shots, 0.3 key passes and 0.3 dribbles per 90 minutes in La Liga. He has struggled to be accurate with his ball distribution after making 74.7% of his attempted passes in top-flight football (stats via whoscored).
Aubameyang is under contract at Stamford Bridge until the summer of 2024. However, he has been far from convincing at the West London club which could open the door for Barca to land him this month.
Should Barcelona Boss Xavi Move In For Aubemeyang This January?
Aubameyang is an experienced forward who can still be a decent finisher in front of the opposition goal when he is playing regularly and with confidence on the pitch. He can also create some decent openings for others around him in and around the opponent’s penalty box. However, he has lost a yard of space from his game and is a player on the decline.
Still, Aubamayang is a versatile forward as he can operate anywhere across the frontline. Plus, he had a decent goal-scoring record during his last spell at the Nou Camp where he scored 13 goals and grabbed one assist in 24 matches for the Catalan club across all competitions.
We can expect Aubameyang to bring some depth to Xavi‘s attack as he would give the Barca boss more options on the attacking end of the pitch. However, at 33, he will only be a good short-term fix to Barcelona‘s goal-scoring problems.
With all things considered, Xavi should only move in for Aubameyang if he is planning to use him as a squad player at the Catalan club as the striker is simply not good enough at the moment to compete with Robert Lewandowski for a regular starting spot.
