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It is the summer of 2022, and BlueCo are looking to establish themselves after taking over as Chelsea owners. They do a deal to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Xavi’s Barcelona.
Just six months prior to his move to Chelsea, Aubameyang had completed a move to Barcelona after a stunning spell with Arsenal. His form continued at the Nou Camp, scoring 13 goals in 24 appearances.
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But Aubameyang preferred life in London, and when Chelsea came calling, the decision was made. The Gabon star would return to England with the Blues, but he struggled during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Just three goals in 21 appearances came during the 2022-23 season and it saw Aubameyang complete a move to Marseille, where he scored a whopping 30 goals the next year. Leaving Barcelona left Xavi sad.
Chelsea are now pursuing a deal to hire Xavi as manager
Fast forward four years after Aubameyang completed a move to Chelsea, and Xavi could be hired as a replacement for Liam Rosenior. Xavi’s camp insists that they are in talks with Chelsea over a possible deal.
But Chelsea are not said to be considering Xavi at this stage. Differing reports, then, as Chelsea continue to scour the market for a new manager. Aubameyang’s move to Chelsea, at the time, left Xavi annoyed.
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The Blues spent just £10m to land Aubameyang and Xavi spoke out, following the move: “I feel bad because he helped us a lot. He was an example on and off the pitch. He made a big difference.
“Look at his numbers. As a person, he’s a jewel and always training with a smile on his face. It’s a shame, you want to have these type of players but it was a good opportunity for him and for the club as well.”
What Xavi has said about taking over at Chelsea, in 2019
Whether Chelsea have held talks for Xavi remains to be seen, but the front-runners for the job remain as follows; Bournemouth’s departing manager Andoni Iraola, Fulham boss Marco Silva, and Xabi Alonso.
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But Xavi, who has been out of work since leaving his role as Barcelona manager in 2024, could become a late option. Indeed, in 2019, Xavi spoke of his desire to join a big club like Chelsea in the Premier League.
“If I had to choose, I’d choose a big team, City or United, Chelsea, Arsenal, or Tottenham. Also, [Jurgen] Klopp, [Mauricio] Pochettino and Unai Emery, many there are doing an extraordinary job,” he said.
Alongside the main three options and Xavi, plenty of others have been linked, including Oliver Glasner and Niko Kovac. But Porto’s Francesco Farioli and Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler are no longer options.
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