Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is reluctant to move to the United States amid interest from MLS side Los Angeles FC, according to the Evening Standard.
Having joined Chelsea from Barcelona to replace Romelu Lukaku, Aubameyang has not had the career he would have expected at Stamford Bridge.
The 33-year-old has only made four starts in the Premier League and 11 appearances overall so far this season, with only one goal to his name.
The situation got worse for the former Arsenal striker after being removed from Chelsea’s 25-man Champions League squad to make space for January signings.
The Evening Standard claims that Aubameyang had interest from Spain and Italy in January, but a move was not an option since FIFA regulations did not allow players to play in official matches for more than two clubs in a season.
Unfortunately for Aubameyang, he had an eight-minute cameo for Barcelona prior to joining Chelsea.
A move to MLS, however, reportedly provides a loophole.
MLS season 2023 season starts in February, which counts as a new season under FIFA rules, with their transfer window remaining open until 24 April.
This means Aubameyang would be able to play for an MLS side, and LAFC, who are reportedly interested in him as a potential replacement for Gareth Bale, provide an opportunity to do so.
But Aubameyang, who is said to still consider himself a top-level player, would “need convincing” to move to the MLS.
Earlier reports suggest that Aubameyang is also expecting summer approaches from the likes of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, so the player’s reported hesitance is quite understandable.
The question now is whether these top clubs would still be interested in Aubameyang if he continues to struggle with getting game time at Chelsea until the end of the season.
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