07 February 2023 , 16:05
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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has returned to Chelsea training this week after being brutally axed from the club's Champions League squad.
The striker was left out to allow Blues boss Graham Potter to bring several new January signings into the squad ahead of the knockout stages. That blow came amid Aubameyang's struggles to impress since arriving at Stamford Bridge from Barcelona last summer.
He has scored just three goals in all competitions for the Blues, with his last strike coming back in October. After the bitter blow of being dropped from the club's European squad, Aubameyang was given last weekend off.
Having been left out of the squad that was held to a goalless draw by Fulham last Friday, he flew out to Milan, sparking rumours he was eyeing a move to Serie A side AC Milan.
But according to The Sun, he is back at Chelsea's Cobham training ground in preparation for Saturday's lunchtime clash with West Ham. And in a sign that suggests he has changed his ways, the striker is said to have been 'bang on time' for training on Monday.
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It means that Gabon international has come some way from his stint at Arsenal, where his contract was ultimately terminated over a string of misdemeanours, including poor time-keeping.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Should Chelsea allow Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to leave? Comment below.
Graham Potter has insisted the door remains open to a return for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Javier Garcia/REX/Shutterstock)It appears that Aubameyang is making an effort to recover his place in Potter's plans, though he will only be able to do so in the Premier League. Potter has left the door open for Aubameyang despite cutting him from his Champions League squad.
"Pierre is a professional and, of course, I understand he will be disappointed. It was a tough decision, a tough call. We had three coming in and two had to go out. He was the one that missed out, he's done nothing wrong at all," Potter said of his squad decision after Friday's draw with Fulham.
"He is just unfortunate and he will be fighting for his place for the rest of the season. He trained today, he trained very well and he's got the weekend off so we can report on Monday. It's a free world.
"Everything is up for grabs. He's got to keep working, train like he did today and be ready to play because football changes quickly. That's the nature of the game. Whichever decision we made, there was always going to be a conversation about it, but it was my decision.
"It was a tough decision, absolutely. Sometimes, you have to make these calls but it's absolutely nothing bad against him. He's done nothing wrong at all. He's handled it very well, trained today fantastically, which is what I would expect. He's been a top guy for us."
Aubameyang, 33, will hope he can claim a place in Chelsea's squad for the trip to West Ham on Saturday. The Blues are aiming to get their season back on track and close the gap on the European qualification places.