Chelsea have completed the signing of striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona.
The Blues had been linked with the former Arsenal man for a couple of weeks in the buildup to the transfer deadline as Thomas Tuchel looked to bolster his attacking ranks following the exits of Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner earlier this summer.
However, the club did not confirm Aubameyang's arrival until more than an hour after Thursday's 11pm deadline had passed, needing to rely on a deal sheet to get the signing through.
The Gabon international moves to Stamford Bridge on a permanent transfer for an undisclosed fee, putting pen to paper on a two-year contract in West London.
Our newest recruit, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang! 😎 #AubameyangIsChelsea pic.twitter.com/ptrjqecDz2
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 1, 2022
Aubameyang's arrival comes just six months after he left Chelsea's London rivals Arsenal in acrimonious circumstances, falling out with manager Mikel Arteta and subsequently being stripped of the captaincy at the Emirates Stadium.
The 33-year-old scored 13 goals in 23 outings for Barcelona during his half-season at Camp Nou, but was deemed surplus to requirements at the Spanish giants following their signing of Robert Lewandowski this summer.
"I'm really happy. It's an honour to be part of this team and I can't wait to start. I have some unfinished business with the Premier League so it's good to be back and really exciting," Aubameyang told the club's official website.
Chairman Todd Boehly added: "Pierre-Emerick is an elite striker with a proven track record in the Premier League and his arrival strengthens our squad, giving us new attacking options.
"We are thrilled to have Pierre-Emerick on board with us in the new era at Chelsea and we're really looking forward to working with him."
© Reuters
Chelsea's co-controlling owners Behdad Eghbali and Jose E Feliciano also commented on the signing, telling the club website: "We are really pleased to welcome Pierre-Emerick back to London as one of the final and important pieces to be added at Chelsea this summer.
"He's a world-class forward and a leader, and we can't wait to see him in blue this season."
Aubameyang spent four years in London with Arsenal, scoring 92 goals in 163 appearances including 68 in 128 Premier League games.
The former Borussia Dortmund man helped Arsenal to win the FA Cup in 2019-20, while the year before that he shared the Premier League Golden Boot.
Chelsea are next in action on Saturday when they face West Ham United, although Aubameyang may be forced to wait until Tuesday's Champions League meeting with Dinamo Zagreb to make his debut.
Barney Corkhill
