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Chelsea are poised to make an offer for Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as they bid to take advantage of the financial problems engulfing the Catalan club.

Talks between Chelsea and Barcelona have begun and will continue over the next 48 hours, with the Premier League club prepared to make a formal bid for Aubameyang.

This week's talks will determine how open Barcelona are to selling, though Aubameyang is believed to be unaware of any wish from Nou Camp chiefs to sell him, despite the £42.5million signing of Poland striker Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich this summer.

The former Arsenal striker played under Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund for two seasons. Interestingly, he wore the No 17 shirt in Germany, the number he was handed by Barcelona recently, a move viewed by some that the Spanish club are hopeful of keeping him.

Indeed, Aubameyang is not pushing to leave, having impressed since joining from the Emirates in January.