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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is at home in Barcelona, playing video games and waiting for news as talks continue about a potential transfer to Chelsea.
Aubameyang is relaxed — content to stay in Spain or help ease Barcelona’s financial worries by returning to England, where he flourished for Arsenal before leaving somewhat acrimoniously.
This is a footballer who started at Milan and also counts Borussia Dortmund among the sides he has represented in a 16-year career featuring more than 300 senior goals and transfer fees totalling around $100million (£81m). The possibility of another move for Aubameyang, wife Alysha and their young children, Curtys and Pierre, is nothing abnormal.
Suddenly, however, the relative calm turns into chaos.
Aubameyang says he “grabbed a big bottle” and went upstairs to try to confront the intruders.
Given a chance to leave Marseille after only one season, Aubameyang’s favoured destination last summer was always Saudi Arabia, and his family have experienced “no difficulty” settling in.
He identifies “room for improvement” in the levels of play and professionalism while admitting that small crowds at some fixtures are “part of the process” and that the Gulf state’s hot weather can harm match tempo.
Al Qadsiah were taken over in June 2023 by Saudi-owned oil giant Aramco and are scheduled to exchange an ageing 20,000-seat ground for a modern 47,000-capacity arena, which is due to open in time for the 2027 Asian Cup and be a 2034 men’s World Cup venue.
He told me, ‘OK, I need you. I want to know how you feel, if you are ready to play again’. I was like, ‘Yes. I’m waiting for this’.
He felt p***ed off. From that point, I said, ‘The season is done for me already’. I just went to training to maintain fitness; I knew I was not going to play.
There is no lingering bitterness, though, and Aubameyang praises Chelsea for how they appear to have regained stability and competitiveness. He feels a “big striker” should be sought to shoulder the goals burden “like Didier Drogba did in the past” and acknowledges he was unable to fit that particular bill.
He took a picture at a Chelsea game when I was not in the squad. I said, ‘We’ll see next season if I’m a fan or player’. I arrived in Marseille with the mentality, ‘You’ll see the real Aubameyang’.
In the next home match, versus Ajax in the Europa League, Aubameyang registered a hat-trick, and he ended his sole season back in French football with 30 goals in 51 appearances.
Now Aubameyang is focused on shining in Saudi Arabia. He spurned interest from higher-profile suitors to choose newly-promoted Al Qadsiah and, under the guidance of sporting director Carlos Anton, coach Michel — who replaced Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler — and ex-Rangers chief executive James Bisgrove, they are flying.
Aubameyang also has ambitions with Gabon, who have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations at the end of this year and are in contention to reach their maiden World Cup finals appearance the following summer.
Further down the line, he prefers the thought of club ownership or, perhaps, a sporting director-type position rather than coaching. His motivations, though, transcend football: becoming an actor is one of his “dreams” and he is taking private lessons to master the art.
Comedy, for sure! If you see me in a film that’s too serious… nah, you will not believe it. If it’s comedy, yes, you’re going to believe it.
