Spanish outlet Relevo has confirmed that Chelsea are closing in on the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after verbally agreeing a fee with Barcelona. The Blues are in the market for an attacker, having lost Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner this summer.

Moreover, the future of Christian Pulisic is also a matter of speculation as the USMNT star is said to be frustrated with his continued lack of minutes at Stamford Bridge. Therefore, he has also been linked with a move away from West London.

Relevo has claimed that a verbal agreement between Chelsea and Barcelona for a fee of £11.8 million (€14 million) has been reached and now the Blues will turn up with a formal offer soon. All parties involved are said to be looking to complete the move. Matt Law of the Telegraph also reported that the former Arsenal striker prefers a move to Chelsea over Manchester United, who are also said to be interested in signing him.

It is understood that the Gabon international is prioritising UEFA Champions League football should he leave Barcelona this summer. Therefore, it’s clear to see why he would be inclined towards a move to West London and also the fact that he has already enjoyed a fruitful partnership with Thomas Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund.

Aubameyang is a proven performer on English soil and the Gabonese has shown that he still has what it takes to succeed on the big stage. He moved to Barca last January and made 23 appearances for Xavi Hernandez. He scored 13 goals and made a solitary assist.

Even in England, he scored 92 goals for the Gunners during his time in North London and managed to register 21 assists. The 33-year-old is an agile and pacey striker who can flourish when playing in systems that rely on counterattacks for their goals. Therefore, if Tuchel does manage to sign Aubameyang, goals from him can be expected on a regular basis and it would also ease the load on Raheem Sterling.

Barcelona are desperate to make a few sales in order to be able to register their signings and Auba has emerged as a potential option for them to free up some space on their wage bill.

• Footall Talk report