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Chelsea are reportedly interested in bringing Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the club in the off-season.
The Gunners star has long been linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium, and the Blues are among a list of clubs including Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona said to be interested in signing him.
And with the 30-year-old's current contract set to expire in the summer of 2021 and talks over a new deal proving unfruitful, it appears ever more likely that Arsenal will be cashing in on the Gabon international in the next transfer window.
Having first enquired about the player's availability in April, it has now been revealed that Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has two main reasons for wanting to add Aubameyang to his squad as he heads into his second season in charge at Stamford Bridge.
The first is he believes the former Borussia Dortmund man could be signed for a similar price to that of Moussa Dembele, who continues to attract plenty of interest after another prolific campaign with Lyon.
It is thought that the Ligue 1 club would demand around £60 million for their 22-goal striker, and while that fee has not put Chelsea off pursuing a deal, they are still looking at other options.
The second reason Aubameyang is seen as a good fit for the Blues is due to his age and experience, with Lampard viewing him as someone who can help bring on some of the young players in the squad.
The likes of Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham have featured heavily for Chelsea this season and are a large part of the reason they have spent much of the year in the top four.
However, the report states that Lampard is of the opinion that the addition of Aubameyang would help his side close the gap on league leaders Liverpool and second-placed Manchester City.
Recruiting a player who has scored 257 career goals so far would certainly benefit Abraham, who has endured a hit-and-miss season in 2019/20.
After finding the net 10 times in the opening 12 Premier League games, the Englishman managed just three in the league between November and March, leading to his manager criticising his front men for a lack of concentration.
Aubameyang, meanwhile, has netted 17 goals in 26 appearances and remains in contention to pick up the 'Golden Boot' for a second successive year.
- TEAMtalk media
