Quick Read
- Aubameyang moved from Barcelona to Chelsea in 2022, prioritizing family stability after a home break-in.
- He called his Chelsea stint a ‘big mistake,’ scoring only three goals in 21 matches before leaving for Marseille.
- Managerial instability and lack of club direction contributed to his struggles at Stamford Bridge.
- Aubameyang rediscovered form at Marseille, scoring 30 goals in 51 appearances after leaving Chelsea.
- His experience highlights the personal and professional challenges elite players face during high-profile transfers.
Aubameyang’s Chelsea Gamble: Why It Happened
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s transfer from Barcelona to Chelsea in the summer of 2022 was one of those headline-grabbing moves that football fans love to debate. Here was a prolific striker, fresh from scoring goals at Arsenal and Barcelona, suddenly donning the blue of one of Arsenal’s fiercest Premier League rivals. On paper, it seemed a bold step, perhaps even a calculated risk. But as Aubameyang himself now admits, the decision was fraught with complications from the outset.
In a series of candid interviews and podcasts, Aubameyang has laid bare the personal and professional turmoil that led to his Chelsea move. According to The Mirror, the striker described his time at Stamford Bridge as a “big f****** mistake.” The context behind the transfer was far from the glamorous narratives often spun around elite footballers. Aubameyang was coming off a difficult spell at Barcelona, marked by a traumatic home break-in and mounting pressure from the club to offload players due to financial constraints. As he told beIN Sports, “Barça had to sell someone, and the only real option on the table was Chelsea.”
Faced with limited choices, Aubameyang prioritized his family’s safety and stability. “I said, ‘OK, for my family, I will move away, even if it’s Chelsea,’” he explained, referencing other players like Olivier Giroud who had successfully crossed the Arsenal-Chelsea divide. Yet, as Aubameyang soon discovered, not all transfers between rivals unfold the same way.
From High Hopes to Harsh Reality: Life at Stamford Bridge
Expectations were high for Aubameyang at Chelsea. After all, he had scored 92 goals in 163 appearances for Arsenal—a record that made him one of the Premier League’s most feared forwards. Chelsea’s new ownership gave him the iconic number nine shirt, signaling trust in his ability to lead the line. But reality quickly set in. Managerial instability—most notably the sacking of Thomas Tuchel just a week after Aubameyang’s arrival—left the striker adrift in a club struggling for direction.
“The manner in which I was received by both the players and the staff, at Chelsea, the context was a bit different,” Aubameyang recalled in JustArsenal. The atmosphere was unsettled, and tactical misalignment left Aubameyang on the fringes. He scored just three goals in 21 appearances during the 2022-23 season—a stark contrast to his previous exploits. The pressure mounted, and Aubameyang found himself increasingly isolated, his confidence eroding with each passing week.
For fans and pundits, his brief stint was a talking point. Was it a failure of adaptation? A victim of circumstance? Aubameyang’s own reflections point to a combination of personal upheaval and organizational chaos. The club’s internal disarray and lack of continuity left him unable to settle, and soon, he was on the move again.
Redemption in Marseille: Rediscovering Purpose
After his Chelsea exit, Aubameyang joined Olympique de Marseille, a club with a rich history and a passionate fanbase. Here, the narrative changed. Freed from the turbulence of London, Aubameyang found stability and a sense of belonging. His first season at Marseille saw him score 30 goals in 51 appearances, reigniting his reputation as a clinical finisher. Even a brief spell in Saudi Arabia with Al-Qadsiah couldn’t sever his connection to the French club; he returned and continued to make an impact, netting five goals in 14 appearances in the 2025 season.
Aubameyang’s journey is a testament to the unpredictable nature of football careers. One moment, a player is celebrated as a hero; the next, he’s navigating the fallout from a move that didn’t pan out. But for Aubameyang, redemption wasn’t about returning to past glories—it was about finding a place where he could thrive again, both on and off the pitch.
Behind the Decision: Footballers and the Human Element
What Aubameyang’s story reveals is the human side of professional sport. Transfers aren’t just about statistics or club rivalries; they’re shaped by family, security, and the unseen pressures that come with life at the top. “I had a bad moment in Barcelona,” he said. The robbery, the uncertainty—these were more than background noise; they were central to the choices he made.
His candid admission about the Chelsea move—calling it a “big mistake”—cuts through the usual PR gloss. It’s a rare moment of vulnerability from a player who knows both the heights and the pitfalls of elite football. It also serves as a reminder to fans: behind every transfer headline is a person navigating real-world challenges.
Looking back, Aubameyang doesn’t dwell on regrets. Instead, he frames the experience as a lesson—a chapter that, while painful, ultimately led him to a better place. “Even star players make mistakes,” he told beIN Sports. “What matters most is finding the way back to your best football.”
Today, at 36, Aubameyang’s career may be winding down, but his story continues to resonate. The mistakes, the comebacks, and the honesty with which he shares his journey offer fans a deeper understanding of what it means to be a footballer in a world that rarely slows down.
Aubameyang’s frank reflection on his Chelsea spell not only highlights the unpredictability of high-profile transfers but also underscores the personal resilience required to rebound from failure. His experience stands as a powerful reminder that in football, as in life, growth often comes from confronting the hardest truths—and moving forward with clarity.