UPDATE: Former Chelsea Star Unveiled As New Olympique Marseille Player In Ligue 1

UPDATE: Friday, July 21 at 3:09 pm

Pierre Emerick Aubameyang was officially unveiled this Friday 21 as a new Olympique Marseille player. The 34-year-old former Chelsea, Barcelona and Arsenal star has signed a three-year deal with the French Ligue 1 outfit.

He was welcomed with a stunning video presentation on the club’s official Twitter account.

𝐋𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐝𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐛𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐠 sur Massalia ⚡️
L’attaquant gabonais 🇬🇦 rejoint l’Olympique de Marseille 🔵⚪️#OdysséeMassalia 🏛️ pic.twitter.com/1dzKgCxw2n

— Olympique de Marseille (@OM_Officiel) July 21, 2023

Aubameyang was unveiled on the same day that Marseille’s legendary captain Dimitri Payet departed. Well-loved and idolised by their legions of fans, a glowing tribute was posted on Twitter by the French club to the player who also spent two seasons in England with West Ham United.

‘A pure talent endowed with a rare elegance, OM’s number 10 marked the club with his technical class, his goals and his assists which inspired a whole generation of Olympians. The whole club wishes Dimitri Payet, as well as his family, the best for the future. OM will always be their home’.

𝙈𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙞 𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚 🙌💙

Talent pur doté d’une élégance rare, le numéro 10 de l’OM a marqué le club par sa classe technique, ses buts et ses passes qui ont inspiré toute une génération d’olympiennes et d’olympiens.

L’ensemble du club souhaite à Dimitri Payet, ainsi… pic.twitter.com/1JAYweOxNA

— Olympique de Marseille (@OM_Officiel) July 21, 2023

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UPDATE: Wednesday, July 19 at 3:09 pm

Chelsea striker Pierre Emerick Aubameyang has completed his expected move to Ligue 1 to play for Olympique Marseille. As reported originally by the respected football transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the switch from London is finalised.

Romano tweeted: ‘Pierre Aubameyang has agreed to join Olympique Marseille, here we go! Auba will sign three year deal, as called two days ago — until June 2026. Chelsea will let him leave for free, told Auba will arrive tonight @ OM camp then undergo medical tests on Thursday. Done ✔️’.

Pierre Aubameyang has agreed to join Olympique Marseille, here we go! 🚨🔵

Auba will sign three year deal, as called two days ago — until June 2026.

Chelsea will let him leave for free, told Auba will arrive tonight @ OM camp then undergo medical tests on Thursday.

Done ✔️ pic.twitter.com/XRD0eFvvSp

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 19, 2023

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Tuesday, July 18 at 0:09 am

Pierre Emerick Aubameyang appears to be one step closer to heading out of the Stamford Bridge exit doors this Monday, July 17.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the respected football transfer expert, the 33-year-old Gabonese international striker has reached an agreement with Ligue 1 outfit Olympique Marseille.

He tweeted: ‘Olympique Marseille and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang have reached agreement on three-year contract — until 2026. Aubameyang, open to join OM — that’s why Marseille are optimistic, confident to get it done. Negotiations with Chelsea, not expected to be complicated. #OM #TeamOM’.

Olympique Marseille and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang have reached agreement on three year contract — until 2026 🔵

Aubameyang, open to join OM — that’s why Marseille are optimistic, confident to get it done.

Negotiations with Chelsea, not expected to be complicated. #OM #TeamOM pic.twitter.com/QV1JUMVksg

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 17, 2023

Romano is very rarely wrong, which probably means that the former Arsenal forward will join a host of other players to leave the Blues in this transfer window.

Aubameyang first made a name for himself in Germany’s Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund. In the 2016-17 season, he won a DFB-Pokal and ended the campaign as the league’s top goalscorer. He subsequently acquired the nickname of the ‘Gabonese goal machine’.

His prolific exploits attracted the attention of Premier League giants Arsenal and on January 31, 2018, he joined the Gunners for what was at the time a club-record fee of around €60 million (£56m).

Aubameyang finished the 2018-19 season as the Premier League’s joint-top scorer. During his four years with Arsenal, he found the back of the net 68 times and won the FA Cup in 2020, making 128 appearances in all competitions.

He joined Barcelona in February 2022

On February 2, 2022, a switch to La Liga with Barcelona was announced with the player having his contract at the Emirates cancelled by mutual consent.

He helped the Blaunegra to a La Liga title that same season, notching 13 goals in 23 appearances. However, by September, Aubameyang was on the move again, this time to Chelsea, signing on transfer deadline day, linking up with his former coach at Dortmund, Thomas Tuchel.

The German was dramatically fired by the Blues and replaced by Graham Potter. After failing to hit the ground running, the Gabonese forward suddenly found himself consigned to the bench. The pattern was not broken when Frank Lampard took over from Potter.

Tuchel subsequently found himself in charge of German giants, Bayern Munich. In the last few weeks, he has been heavily involved in trying to attract both Declan Rice and Harry Kane to the Bundesliga.