It’s difficult to know what to make of Chelsea’s transfer activity this summer.
On one hand, the acquisitions of Raheem Sterling (£4.8m) and Kalidou Koulibaly (£5m) have theoretically addressed some major requirements in the squad while the addition of Marc Cucurella (£3.2m) can be viewed as a practical move that also ensures strong competition in a key position.
On the other hand, the Blues forked out a massive fee for the Spanish left-back while the reported pursuits of Anthony Gordon (£2.3m) and Wesley Fofana (£2.9m) also contain eye-watering fees – some outlets reckon the pair may cost as much as £140million.
While fans are understandably excited about Todd Boehly’s ambition and the potential arrivals of young talent with significant potential, many supporters feel the club should be prioritising a new striker.
Kai Havertz (£3.8m) has offered plenty of endeavour at centre-forward at the start of this season but the German has struggled to positively influence games.
He missed a golden opportunity against Spurs that ultimately proved costly and was ineffective at Elland Road on Sunday when Thomas Tuchel’s side were beaten 3-0 by Leeds.
The signing of Romelu Lukaku last summer was supposed to solve Chelsea’s long-running issue up top but the hulking Belgian looked a shadow of the player that inspired Inter to the Scudetto in 2020/21.
If rumours are to be believed, the club are currently looking at Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as a possible short-term solution.
So what can the Stamford Bridge faithful – and Dream Team gaffers – expect from the Gabon international if the proposed switch were to materialise?
The first thing to acknowledge is that the 33-year-old is a proven Premier League goalscorer.
Upon signing for Arsenal midway through the 2017/18 season, Aubameyang scored ten goals in 13 league appearances in the second half of the campaign to send out a signal of intent.
He then followed up on that promise by scoring 60 goals across the next two seasons in all competitions, winning a Golden Boot in 2018/19.
Even in his final one and a half years with the Gunners, when he was no longer a guaranteed starter having been stripped of the captaincy for unprofessional conduct, he still mustered 23 goals from 54 outings.
Perhaps it should have been no surprise when the former Borussia Dortmund poacher was immediately among the goals upon joining Barcelona in January of this year.
Aubameyang scored 13 goals in 23 appearances (11 in 17 La Liga games) in the second half of 2021/22 and his status at the Nou Camp has only changed because of Robert Lewandowski’s switch from Bayern Munich.
There can be little doubt that Chelsea would be acquiring the services of goalscorer who boasts an impressive record.
However, at 33 years old it may be that he’s no longer in the proper condition to thrive in the English top flight.
While he appeared to take on a new lease of life at Barca, the most recent evidence relating to Premier League performance is unconvincing – it could be argued he hindered Arsenal during his final months in north London.
Then there’s issue of whether he is a good fit for Tuchel’s side stylistically.
Chelsea are crying out for an out-and-out striker but Aubameyang’s best form for Dortmund and the Gunners came at a time when he played predominantly from left, though he has always taken up opportunistic positions in the box.
The Blues have tasked multiple individuals with leading the line in recent years, backing a range of different profiles with most of them boasting impressive historical records.
Radamel Falcao, Alvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuain, Timo Werner and the aforementioned Lukaku all failed to live up to expectations.
Has Aubameyang got something those players don’t? Possibly.
But equally, his name would fit nicely on that list, wouldn’t it?