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Barcelona, AC Milan, Atletico 'make Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang enquiries'

Barcelona, AC Milan, Atletico 'make Aubameyang enquiries'
© Reuters
Barcelona, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid reportedly make enquiries for Chelsea's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after he was left out of the Blues' Champions League squad.

Barcelona, AC Milan and Atletico Madrid have reportedly all touched base to discuss a possible summer move for unsettled Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Gabon international's miserable period at Stamford Bridge hit a new low earlier this week, as he was left out of the Blues' Champions League squad for the knockout stages.

With Graham Potter's side aiming to include as many of their January arrivals as possible on the list, Aubameyang was the unfortunate standout name to be left out, alongside defensive newcomer Benoit Badiashile.

However, attackers whose long-term futures are being called into question - including Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic - both made the cut, as Chelsea prepare to face Borussia Dortmund in the last 16.

Having also found it hard to break into Chelsea's starting XI since his arrival over the summer, Aubameyang is already being tipped to leave the West London giants less than a year after joining from Barcelona.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in Chelsea training on September 13, 2022© Reuters

La Blaugrana were supposedly hoping to bring the 33-year-old back to Camp Nou during the January window, but their ongoing financial troubles made a deal unfeasible.

Now, the Daily Mail claims that Barca have since reignited their interest and are one of three teams to have enquired about Aubameyang's services ahead of the summer.

The report add that Atletico and AC Milan - where Aubameyang spent five years between 2007 and 2012 after joining the Rossoneri academy - would also be interested in signing the ex-Arsenal man.

The Rojiblancos and Rossoneri also had their eye on Aubameyang in January, but he would have been unable to move to either destination, having already represented two clubs this season.

The striker's contract at Stamford Bridge now has fewer than 18 months left to run, and he is widely expected to be on the move this summer given Chelsea's wealth of recent attacking arrivals.

Explaining his decision to cut Aubameyang from his European squad, Potter insisted that the 33-year-old had "done nothing wrong", but somebody had to be the unlucky name to miss out.

Chelsea's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates scoring their first goal on October 1, 2022© Reuters

"I don't think it's going to be difficult because Pierre is a professional and of course, I understand he will be disappointed. It was a tough decision, a tough call. He was the one that missed out, he's done nothing wrong at all," Potter told the press.

"Pierre is just unfortunate and he will be fighting for his place for the rest of the season. He trained today [Friday], he trained very well and he's got the weekend off so we can report on Monday. It's a free world.

'Whichever decision we made there was always going to be a conversation about it but it was my decision. It was a tough decision absolutely, sometimes you have to make these calls but it's absolutely nothing bad against him.

'It was difficult [telling him] because I am empathetic so I understand his disappointment but I've got a responsibility to make these tough decisions and to articulate them as honestly and as well as I can to the player and then respect the fact that he's going to be disappointed.

"He's handled it very well, trained today fantastically which is what I would expect. He's been a top guy for us. Everything is up for grabs. He's got to keep working, train like he did today and be ready to play because football changes quickly. That's the nature of the game."

Aubameyang has registered just three goals and one assist in 17 matches for Chelsea this season, and he was left out of the squad entirely for Friday's goalless draw with Fulham in the West London derby.

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