Aston Villa have reportedly taken an interest in Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The 33-year-old was memorably stripped of the Arsenal captaincy at the end of 2021 following a falling out with Mikel Arteta, and he departed for Barcelona the following January.
Aubameyang spent just half a season with the Catalan giants before being lured back to England by then-Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, who had worked with the striker at Borussia Dortmund.
The Gabon international has struggled to perform in Chelsea blue under Tuchel and Graham Potter, though, managing just three goals and one assist in 18 matches in all tournaments.
Aubameyang has started a mere four Premier League games for Potter's side, with Kai Havertz being preferred at the tip of the attack in recent weeks, and his contract expires at the end of next season.
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Another swift move elsewhere could soon come to fruition for Aubameyang, who is supposedly desperate to leave Stamford Bridge amid his difficulties for form and game time.
According to The Athletic, Aston Villa are now contenders to sign the unsettled Aubameyang, who worked with Lions manager Unai Emery during the pair's time at Arsenal.
Under Emery, Aubameyang shared the Premier League Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in the 2018-19 season, scoring 22 top-flight goals for Arsenal that year.
The report claims that Emery is still fond of the 33-year-old, but any move for his former talisman will have to wait until the summer transfer window.
Having lost his golden touch during his final few months at Arsenal, Aubameyang quickly rediscovered his best form at Barcelona, coming up with 13 goals in 24 matches.
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La Blaugrana, who sold Memphis Depay to Atletico Madrid earlier this month, are said to be open to bringing Aubameyang back to Camp Nou and are supposedly exploring the legality of such a deal.
Chelsea have added to their attacking ranks with the signings of David Datro Fofana and Mykhaylo Mudryk this winter, pushing Aubameyang further down the pecking order and potentially accelerating an exit.
The ex-Dortmund man was only brought off the bench for the final nine minutes of last weekend's goalless draw with Liverpool and was an unused substitute in the Blues' 2-1 loss to West London rivals Fulham earlier this month.
Aston Villa have allowed Danny Ings to depart for West Ham United this month, leaving Ollie Watkins to spearhead the attack on his own for the time being.
The Lions won the race to sign highly-rated Colombian attacker Jhon Duran from Chicago Fire, but Villa are still said to be after another experienced centre-forward before the January window shuts, with Lyon's Moussa Dembele also believed to be high on Emery's radar.
Ben Knapton
