Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang headed for LAFC loan? - Chelsea will pay salary

This article first appeared on Feb. 6 and has been updated with new information.

Could Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC offer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a potential exit route from Chelsea? Sources have confirmed to Transfermarkt an earlier report by Relevo that LAFC are in talks with Aubameyang for an immediate transfer. MLSSoccer.com writer Tom Bogert has also reported that there have been talks. Those talks have now led to a major breakthrough as Chelsea have offered to pay Aubameyang's salary in a potential loan deal. Sources have indicated that only the player's approval is missing to see the deal go through. 

Aubameyang was signed for €12 million from Barcelona on last summer’s deadline day. The striker was one of the early signings of the Todd Boehly regime and was supposed to provide Thomas Tuchel with a typical no.9. Tuchel, however, was sacked before the Gabonese striker was able to feature for Chelsea. Aubameyang has been sparely used by Graham Potter, scoring just three goals and one assist in 18 games across all competitions featuring just 849 minutes.

After already spending €281.99m in the summer on new players, Chelsea spent an additional €329.5m this January window. Among the new arrivals were forwards Mykhaylo Mudryk (for €70m+€30m from Shakhtar Donetsk), Noni Madueke (for €30m from PSV), João Félix (€11m loan fee from Atlético Madrid) and David Datro Fofana (for €12m from Molde). Including Kai Havertz, who is often used as a no.9, Chelsea have ten attacking players under contract, and after the failed Hakim Ziyech to PSG transfer need to get players off the books. Furthermore, Aubameyang was left out of Chelsea's Champions League squad, further underlining his reduced role going forward. 

Aubameyang to LAFC – MLS team needs a replacement for Arango

While Ziyech will now be difficult to get off the books now that the window in all major leagues is closed, the story is a bit different for Aubameyang. The 33-year-old would be open to a move to North America, in general, and Los Angeles, in particular. LAFC also need a replacement for star striker Cristian Arango, who has been sold to Liga MX side Pachuca last week. 

The Arango departure, however, also highlights a major obstacle for the Aubameyang to LAFC deal. The MLS Cup winners were unable to sign Arango to a bigger Designated Player (DP) contract as the club already has two DPs in Carlos Vela and Denis Bouanga, as well as three U22 Initiative Players in Stipe Biuk, José Cifuentes, and Diego Palacios under contract. 

Aubameyang, if he agrees to join, could, therefore, only be signed to a Targeted Allocation Money deal. Such a deal would significantly limit the amount of money the club could spend on Aubameyang. Welsh winger Gareth Bale was on a TAM deal last season and, according to the MLSPA salary guide earned a $1.6m base salary with a guaranteed compensation of $2.38m for a half-season at LAFC in 2022. But with Chelsea offering a loan deal in which they will continue to pay the Gabonese's salary, Aubameyang will only count minimally against the salary cap.