“It’s a risk” – Pundit warns Tuchel against signing Chelsea target in move that ‘could end up being a mistake’

Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan has warned Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel that a move for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could prove to be a mistake.

As reported by The Telegraph's Matt Law, the Blues have registered their interest in the Barcelona forward.

The Mirror has reported that the Spanish giants could be willing to listen to offers for the Gabon international as they look to balance their books.

Following the arrival of Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich in the summer, the Blaugrana now have plenty of options up front.

This could see Aubameyang bidding goodbye to the Catalan giants after signing for them only in January.

Noel Whelan has insisted that signing Aubameyang could be a solid short-term solution to Chelsea's striker woes. He told Football Insider:

“It’s a stopgap, it’s a plug. You could probably get one or two years out of him. So, depending on the price, it could be a good bit of business.

“Barca need the money, and Chelsea are throwing it around left, right, and centre."

However, as per Whelan, the Blues might eventually regret the move if the former Arsenal hitman becomes susceptible to injuries as he is currently 33 years old. He stated:

“It’s a risk, a short-term solution. All it takes is one injury, and you’re back to square one. He’s not 23 anymore – he’s 33, so you’re prone to more injuries.

“The Premier League is much more demanding than La Liga now – so it could end up being a mistake.”

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Should Chelsea sign the Barcelona attacker?

Aubameyang has done quite a fantastic job for Barcelona since signing for them in January on a free transfer after seeing his Arsenal deal terminated.

The former Borussia Dortmund striker scored 13 goals in 23 games for the Blaugrana. He was one of the key reasons behind their strong finish to the season.

However, he could be on his way out of Camp Nou after the arrival of Lewandowski and Chelsea would definitely be an attractive destination for him.

Aubameyang had the best spell of his entire career under now-Blues manager Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund. He scored 79 goals in 95 games while also producing 17 assists.

However, at the age of 33, we will have to wait and see how he fares in the Premier League if he signs for the west London club.

The Blues have not had luck with strikers in the recent past and Aubameyang could prove to be a decent stop-gap for a couple of years.