French football club Olympique de Marseille has completed the signing of Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Chelsea, as confirmed by the Ligue 1 side on Friday.
The transfer marks the end of a disappointing spell for the 34-year-old striker at Chelsea, with British media reporting that the Premier League club terminated Aubameyang's contract, which had one year remaining.
During his time at Chelsea, Aubameyang made only five Premier League starts and managed to score just one goal against Crystal Palace in October. He did show some prowess in the Champions League group stage, netting twice. However, his performances were not enough to secure his place in the squad for the knockout stages of the tournament.
In response to the transfer, Chelsea issued a brief statement expressing their gratitude to Aubameyang and wishing him the best as he embarks on the next phase of his career.
For Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, this marks a return to France after a decade, having previously played for St Etienne for three seasons from 2010 to 2013. The striker's career also includes stints with Ligue 1 clubs Lille and AS Monaco in his early days. His time at Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal proved to be highly successful, further solidifying his reputation as a formidable goal scorer.
Aubameyang holds the distinction of being Gabon's all-time leading goal scorer, with an impressive record of 30 goals in 73 international matches. He was recognized for his outstanding performances on the continent when he was awarded the African Footballer of the Year title in 2015.
In 2022, the striker decided to retire from international soccer; however, he made a surprising announcement of his return to the Gabonese national team earlier this year.
(With inputs from Reuters)
