Chelsea are said to be building a transfer contingency plan amid growing concerns that a move for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang may fall through. The 33-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge this summer as Thomas Tuchel looks to bolster his frontline.
football.london understand that the Blues submitted a £22million bid for the former Arsenal captain on Wednesday evening. It's believed that talks with Barcelona over Aubameyang's sale are ongoing.
It's also understood that Tuchel is eager to reunite with the Gabon international having enjoyed a fruitful spell together at Borussia Dortmund. The Chelsea boss is said to have specifically identified the striker as a priority signing before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month.
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But, with just 10 days to wrap up a deal, an official agreement is yet to be reached for the transfer of Aubameyang and the west Londoners appear to be looking at possible alternatives.. According to Sport, Chelsea are weighing up a move for former striker Alvaro Morata, who is now at Atletico Madrid.
The report adds that the 29-year-old has been identified as a potential alternative to the Barcelona talisman. Morata - who sees his contract at the Metropolitano Stadium expire in 2024 - is said to have caught the Blues' attention after netting a brace against Getafe on the opening day of the La Liga campaign.
Morata, who is valued at €30 million-€40 million (£25 million-£33.8 million) by CIES Football Observatory, struggled to assert himself at Stamford Bridge, scoring just 24 goals in 72 appearances. And, with his misfortune in front of goal in mind, the Spain international said that he never felt 'loved or appreciated' at the club.
"I had lost confidence in myself previously. I was very upset by the opinion of the people in England. I think they caught me in the middle of everything," he told Goal, speaking in 2019. "I didn't quite feel loved or appreciated by the club or the fans. I started very well at Chelsea, but an injury in the end leaves you a bit stuck.
"As bad as it was, I still scored 15 goals and won the FA Cup... but I was out of the World Cup, and for me that was the hardest thing that could happen to me in my life. I've dreamed of being able to play in a World Cup since I was 10 years old, and I chose Chelsea because I thought it would be the best club to later be able to play in the World Cup."
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