Chelsea transfer was a f***ing big mistake – but I had no other option

A one-time Chelsea forward has opened up on his surprise return to the Premier League and explained how the transfer came about in a candid and frank interview

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has branded signing for Chelsea a ‘big f***ing mistake’ and revealed how the transfer unfolded. The forward joined the Blues from Barcelona during the 2022 summer transfer window.

Aubameyang, however, endured less than 12 months at Stamford Bridge before departing the team, and throughout his stint there, the forward featured 21 times, netting three goals and registering one assist. That transfer occurred despite his spell with Arsenal, where he thrived across four successful years, making 163 appearances and bagging 92 goals.

For his initial matches for Chelsea, Aubameyang had to wear a protective mask after sustaining an injury while his house was being burgled. The incident saw him and his spouse threatened at gunpoint, with the striker sustaining a fractured jaw after being assaulted by the intruders.

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Speaking on a podcast with Arsenal supporter and content creator Troopz, Aubameyang has now delivered a brutally frank assessment regarding his switch to Chelsea. “That was a big mistake going there,” he said. “It was a f****** big mistake.

“At that time, I had a bad moment in Barcelona; I had a home break-in. And Barca needed to sell a player – me or Memphis Depay – and the only thing that was on the table was Chelsea.

“So I said, ‘OK, for my family, I will move away, even if it’s Chelsea’. I was thinking maybe it would be OK, Olivier Giroud went from Arsenal to Chelsea and he had no problems, but for me it was different.”

After a stint with Al-Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia, Aubameyang has returned to France, rejoining Marseille this summer. This season, he’s netted five goals and provided six assists in 14 appearances across Ligue 1 and the Champions League.

Reflecting on his time at Chelsea earlier this year, Aubameyang confessed to The Athletic: “I never had that connection. No connections at all.

“The fans wanted the Auba they saw with Arsenal. At the time, I was not ready for that and didn’t get the opportunity.

“I was not ready, as well, because of what happened in Barcelona. It was a chaotic year.

“But it was good for me because I needed a break. And, at the same time, they didn’t want to play me.”

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