- Aubameyang looking for Chelsea escape
- Linked with LAFC
- But might not match playing style
WHAT HAPPENED? Gomez said Aubameyang could indeed find success somewhere in MLS, but cautioned that Los Angeles was not the right landing spot due to his playing style and wages.
WHAT THEY SAID: "No, not as a starter â and youâre not bringing him in to sit on the bench," Gomez told ESPNFC. "The high press, the defensive scheme, the work rate, I donât think youâre going to get that here. But it doesnât mean you canât be a good player, it doesnât mean he canât be a star player in Major League Soccer.
"With this LAFC, I donât know if itâs the best fit or the natural fit. That being said, those players can find a way to impact the game anyway."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Most MLS clubs emphasize player development over global star power these days, with productive imports from across the Atlantic given more attention than low-impact, late-career European players.
AND WHAT'S MORE: Even LAFC, a destination spot for international players, won the title last year more because of its up-and-coming talent than because of the arrivals of Gareth Bale or Giorgio Chiellini (though Bale did come through in the final). And while Aubameyang could still score goals in bunches in the United States, strict salary restrictions would probably force a team to pick apart its roster to accommodate him - something LAFC are unlikely to accept.
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IN TWO PHOTOS:
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR AUBAMEYANG? It's unlikely the forward will play much at Stamford Bridge for the remainder of the season, having been left out of Chelsea's Champions League after an influx of attacking talent through the transfer market. He'll await potential interest from MLS as the U.S. transfer market heats up.