Chelsea have signed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, paying €12 million to Barcelona, while Marcos Alonso will soon head the other way.

Chelsea have confirmed the capture of Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona for €12 million. After leaving Arsenal in January, the 33-year-old returns to the Premier League and is ready to spearhead Thomas Tuchel’s side for the next two years.

The Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang saga saw many ups and downs over the last month. Chelsea identified the striker as a replacement for Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner after the duo departed from Stamford Bridge during the summer transfer window but faced problems securing the signing.

Aubameyang had only joined Barcelona in January after terminating his contract with Arsenal. At Camp Nou, he proved his worth by scoring 13 goals in 24 appearances in all competitions, becoming Barcelona’s joint top scorer last season.

Financial troubles at Barcelona and the arrival of Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich cast doubts on Aubameyang’s future at the club. Soon Chelsea trailed him, as Thomas Tuchel, along with new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly identified the striker as a solution to their attacking problems.

For so long, Barcelona were unconvinced by Chelsea’s offer, while the Blues considered calling off the pursuit at one stage. Meanwhile, Aubameyang was resigned to losing his place and accepted his future might be elsewhere, thus boosting Chelsea’s prospects of signing him.

On the transfer deadline day, Chelsea agreed on a deal with Barcelona for Aubameyang. The proposal included €12 million in guaranteed fee plus Marcos Alonso, with the Spaniard yet to be announced by the Catalan giants.

Aubameyang returned to London and claimed he had unfinished business in the Premier League. He said, “I’m really happy. It’s an honour to be part of this team, and I can’t wait to start. I have some unfinished business with the Premier League, so it’s good to be back and really exciting.”

Aubameyang has signed a two-year deal at Stamford Bridge and there will be an option for a third, which will be based on the percentage of appearances the striker makes in the second year. Other financial details such as wages and bonuses remain under wraps.

Aubameyang will mark his return to the Premier League after spending four years with Arsenal, winning the FA Cup in 2020. Incidentally, he scored two goals in that Wembley final against Chelsea. He also won the Golden Boot during his first full season at the Emirates.

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