Thomas Tuchel has laughed off concerns about Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s time-keeping, after the striker was forced out of Arsenal for multiple breaches of discipline last season.
Aubameyang was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy by manager Mikel Arteta after reporting back a day late following a period of leave, an incident which Arteta claimed was far from isolated.
The Gabonese international had his Arsenal contract terminated and joined Barcelona in January, but found himself surplus to requirements at the Nou Camp this season and made a surprise return to the Premier League on deadline day when he signed for Chelsea.
The move sees him link up with his former manager at Borussia Dortmund, Tuchel, and the German insists he has no concerns about Aubameyang’s professionalism.
“There was never a big issue,” Tuchel said on Friday of his time working with Aubameyang in the Bundesliga. “He has a big problem with his time but he never misses a meeting. Sometimes getting him 60 minutes before training is an issue! It is sometimes 58 minutes, or 59. I am sure he will fit into our dressing room, he was always positive.”
Aubameyang was prolific for Dortmund and initially for Arsenal too, but tailed off dramatically in the latter part of his Gunners career. Now 33, it is five years since his best goalscoring season when he racked up 40 goals for Dortmund in 2016-17, but Tuchel is hopeful he can recreate that form at Stamford Bridge.
“Hopefully he can be that good again,” the manager said. “You know what you get with Auba and he was very happy to come back to the Premier League. We knew it could happen. He can deliver goals.”
Chelsea take on West Ham this weekend but Aubameyang will have to wait for his debut after suffering a broken jaw during a burglary at his home in Spain last week.
“At the moment, he cannot train,” Tuchel revealed. “We need to get him a mask for his jaw so he can begin training next week.”
