Chelsea submit first bid for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after Barcelona set big asking price

Chelsea have ceded to Barcelona’s transfer demands over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and tabled an offer worth £22million for the forward, according to reports.

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The Gabon international has emerged as a surprise target for the west Londoners, with Thomas Tuchel keen to be reunited with a player he knows well from their time together at Borussia Dortmund.

Chelsea have loaned club-record signing Romelu Lukaku back to Inter and sold Timo Werner back to RB Leipzig, leaving them short on options in attack.

Aubameyang only moved to Camp Nou earlier this year, joining on a free transfer after Arsenal agreed to rip up his contract, though he now looks increasingly likely to return to the Premier League.

According to reliable Spanish journalist Gerard Romero on his Jijantes FC Twitch channel, Chelsea have submitted their first official bid and it meets Barca’s asking price.

Incredibly, despite paying nothing for Aubameyang barely six months ago, the Catalan club were demanding as much as £23m for the 33-year-old.

After initially hoping to pay around half that, Chelsea have offered £22m and the striker must now make a decision over whether he wants to remain in Barcelona or return to London.

In early negotiations, Chelsea had verbally proposed a figure of around £12m but have dramatically upped their offer amid speculation that Manchester United had also started to sniff around Aubameyang.

The Blues are prepared to increase Aubameyang’s salary significantly, with the forward having accepted a pay cut to join Barca earlier this year.

Although Xavi would have liked to count on the Gabonese forward this season – particularly after he netted 11 times in just 17 La Liga appearances last season – Barcelona’s