Aubameyang departs Chelsea for Marseille

In a continued exodus from Chelsea, Mauricio Pochettino has overseen the departure of striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has completed his move to French Ligue 1 side Marseille.

Marseille officially confirmed the signing of the 34-year-old Gabon international on Friday, marking the end of his lackluster stint in west London.

Aubameyang’s time at Chelsea proved disappointing, as he managed to score just one goal in 15 Premier League appearances. To add to his woes, he was omitted from the squad for the Champions League knock-out stages by former manager Graham Potter back in February.

Having previous experience in Ligue 1 with St Etienne from 2011 to 2013, as well as loan spells at Dijon, Lille, and Monaco, Aubameyang returns to familiar territory with his move to Marseille.

The former Arsenal striker arrived at Chelsea last September in a two-year deal from Barcelona, which saw Marcos Alonso moving in the opposite direction. However, the 34-year-old struggled to adapt to the squad dynamics following the departure of manager Thomas Tuchel, making it apparent that his time at Stamford Bridge would be short-lived.

Aubameyang joins the ranks of Kai Havertz and Mason Mount in leaving the club this summer. Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku, who wore the supposedly “cursed” number nine shirt before Aubameyang, along with Hakim Ziyech and Callum Hudson-Odoi, are all absent from Chelsea’s current pre-season tour of the United States.