Chelsea stance on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang trip to Barcelona could have implications for his next move

Chelsea are looking to sell wantaway striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this summer but could refuse any negotiations with Barcelona.

The 33-year-old left the Nou Camp last summer in a deal worth around £12 million but has slipped down the pecking order under Graham Potter.

Aubameyang has made 18 appearances for the Blues but is yet to complete a full 90 minutes.

He was left out of Chelsea’s Champions League squad for the knockout stages and is yet to start a Premier League game since the resumption after the World Cup.

His situation has not been helped by Chelsea’s mammoth January window where the club splashed in excess of £300m, with much of it spent on attacking reinforcements.

According to AS, Aubameyang’s preferred move is a return to Barcelona despite Inter Milan’s interest in him.

Much of the anger directed at Barcelona from the west London club stems from the striker’s recent trip to Catalonia to watch his former teammates beat Real Madrid 2-1.

Aubameyang was later spotted celebrating the victory alongside his old pals who he remains close with despite only spending seven months at the club.

Chelsea were reportedly furious with the Gabonese international and are now determined not to sell him back to the club.

AS claim that due to Barcelona’s ongoing Financial Fair Play issues, the club view Aubameyang’s return as feasible, as long as players are moved on to facilitate the move.

But the Blues are likely to make things difficult for the La Liga leaders following Aubameyang’s ‘El Clasico’ exploits.