Chelsea look set to complete the signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on transfer deadline day, with Marcos Alonso heading to Barcelona as part of the deal.
After a poor start to the season, Chelsea continues to be active in the summer transfer market, with the Blues tipped to be one of the busier teams on deadline day. Seven players, including Kalidou Koulibaly, Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana and Raheem Sterling, have already signed, but Thomas Tuchel still remains interested in another forward.
Football.london understands Aubameyang is set to move to Chelsea, and the striker will cost £6.5million, with left-back Alonso heading to Barcelona as part of the transfer. The ex-Arsenal captain only left the Gunners in January after being dropped from the squad due to disciplinary actions.
READ MORE: Late Rafael Leao move, £43m Edson Alvarez bid - Chelsea transfer deadline day state of play
If Aubameyang did reunite with Tuchel, how could the 33-year-old perform? Could he become the Blues' new talisman, or will he fail to impress?
We 'signed' Aubameyang for Chelsea on deadline day
For this simulation to happen, we used the in-game editor for Football Manager 22 to allow the transfer of Aubameyang to Chelsea. We also updated the Chelsea squad with the latest transfers and squad updates.
Aubameyang had a great opening season in blue, with the Gabon international scoring 19 goals in all competitions. A regular for Tuchel, the striker made 41 appearances across the season, despite his age. In the Premier League, Aubameyang had a decent record, scoring 13 and assisting two in 30 games. He also had a fantastic record in the Champions League with five goals in eight appearances, averaging a rating of 7.08 per game in all competitions.
Aubameyang ended the season as Chelsea's joint top scorer, with the 33-year-old and Kai Havertz both scoring 19 times. The German also managed 13 assists in a brilliant season, whilst Mason Mount was the third top scorer, netting 12 times.
At the end of the season, FM22 released the Best XI from the Chelsea squad, using player statistics, league data and other measures to complete the team.
Full Chelsea Best XI (5-2-2-1): Mendy; James, Silva, Koulibaly, Fofana, Cucurella; Kovacic, Kante; Havertz, Mount; Aubameyang.
Aubameyang made the Chelsea best XI in the simulated season, with the Gabon international keeping Raheem Sterling out of the side. Mount and Havertz made the XI behind the striker, while new signings Koulibaly, Cucurella and Fofana made the defensive line.
Chelsea's overall 2022/23 season from the simulation
The Blues had a fairly successful league campaign, earning a second consecutive third-place finish. They scored the same amount of goals as the 2021/22 campaign, conceded three more and were one point worse off.
The Blues still secured Champions League football for the 2023/24 season, but the gap to Manchester City grew. Chelsea also had decent runs in the cups, and Tuchel's side were unlucky not to win a trophy.
In a similar fashion to the FA Cup final from the 2021/22 season, Chelsea lost to Liverpool on penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time. They also lost on penalties to Spurs in the Cacarao Cup fourth round, and after a 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich in the second leg, Chelsea were knocked out in the Champions League quarter-finals, losing 4-2 on aggregate.
Overall, this simulation predicts that if Aubameyang was to move to Chelsea, the 33-year-old could prove to be an important part of Tuchel's side, scoring 19 goals and ending the season as the Blues' joint top scorer. For the small fee paid plus Alonso heading the opposite direction, Aubameyang could prove a smart bit of business if he was to replicate these sorts of results in real-life.
READ NEXT:
Thomas Tuchel new Chelsea attack if £22m Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang transfer is confirmed
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel responds to Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi transfer talk
Chelsea must spend £18m more to sign Ivan Toney over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Full Chelsea Premier League fixture list for 2022/23
Chelsea transfer business under the microscope in 'good deal' or 'bad deal'
