Barcelona ‘plotting double swoop for N’Golo Kante and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the summer’

Barcelona reportedly want to sign Chelsea stars N’Golo Kante and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the summer.

French midfielder Kante, 32, is currently in talks with his club about renewing his contract – which is set to expire at the end of the season.

Meanwhile, Aubameyang arrived from the Nou Camp on deadline day in September 2022, but has endured a difficult spell in west London.

According to The Mirror, Xavi has a list of targets and will offer Kante a two-year deal. Barca will also want an answer from Aubameyang by the first week in June.

Kante signed for Chelsea in the summer of 2016, joining in a £30m deal from Premier League-winning Leicester.

Midfielder N’Golo Kante, 32, is currently in talks with his club about renewing his contract

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang arrived from the Nou Camp on deadline day in September 2022

He was a lynchpin in France’s 2018 World Cup-winning side and has helped Chelsea win the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and Europa League.

Kante has recently returned to action for the Blues after an extended spell on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury.

He is expected to sign a two-year deal until 2025, with Chelsea having an option to extend the contract for a further year.

But Barcelona are keen on tempting him and will reportedly make an offer, although they are expected to have to sell players and rely on free transfers amid their well-documented financial troubles.

Gabonese hitman Aubameyang moved to Chelsea in the hope of reuniting with his former Borussia Dortmund boss, but within six days Thomas Tuchel was sacked by Todd Boehly.

The 33-year-old has since struggled for playing time and spent long periods out of the squad altogether.

In his prime, Aubameyang was one of Europe’s premier forwards after successful spells at Arsenal and Dortmund – for whom he scored a combined 233 goals in 376 games – but has been unable to recapture that form.

This season, he has scored once in the Premier League and twice in the Champions League across a combined 18 games. He was omitted from Chelsea’s Champions League squad in January.

source: dailymail.co.uk