Official: Chelsea let ex-BVB professional Aubameyang move to Marseille

Payet leaves Olympique

Ten years after joining Dortmund from Saint-Étienne, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang returns to France’s Ligue 1. Olympique Marseille announced on Friday evening the expected commitment of the 34-year-old storm veteran from Chelsea. The Blues are reportedly letting the Gabonese international move on a free transfer, while Aubameyang has signed a contract in Marseille until 2026.

Chelsea has another player off the payroll: the club has already sold 14 players for around 254 million euros after record transfer spending last season, Aubameyang is the fifth free transfer among them.

Highest transfer income in summer: BVB with BuLi record in 7th place

20. Parma Calcio | 2001/02 | Transfer earnings: €137m

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Transfer spend: €100m (as of 19 July 2023)

19. RB Leipzig | 2023/24 | Transfer earnings: €140m

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Transfer spend: €126m

18. Benfica Lisbon | 2022/23 | Transfer earnings: €144m

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Transfer spend: €98m

17.Chelsea | 2021/22 | Transfer earnings: €149m

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Transfer spend: €118m

16th LOSC Lille | 2019/20 | Transfer earnings: €150m

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Transfer spend: €98m

15.Barcelona | 2019/20 | Transfer earnings: €150.4m

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Transfer spend: €274m

14. Roma | 2018/19 | Transfer earnings: €150.5m

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Transfer spend: €166m

13. Juventus | 2001/02 | Transfer earnings: €154m

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Transfer spend: €180m

12.Barcelona | 2020/21 | Transfer earnings: €154.4m

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Transfer spend: €112m

11.Manchester City | 2022/23 | Transfer earnings: €160m

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Transfer spend: €140m

10. Juventus | 2016/17 | Transfer earnings: €167m

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Transfer spend: €169m

9. AS Monaco | 2015/16 | Transfer earnings: €175m

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Transfer spend: €89m

8. AS Monaco | 2017/18 | Transfer earnings: €178m

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Transfer spend: €102m

7. BVB | 2017/18 | Transfer earnings: €197m

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Transfer spend: €97m

6. Juventus | 2019/20 | Transfer earnings: €202m

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Transfer spend: €196m

5. Ajax Amsterdam | 2022/23 | Transfer earnings: €217m

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Transfer spend: €105m

4.Barcelona | 2017/18 | Transfer earnings: €226m

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Transfer spend: €228m

3.Chelsea | 2023/24 | Transfer earnings: €254m

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Transfer spend: €112m

2. Atlético Madrid | 2019/20 | Transfer earnings: €316m

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Transfer spend: €247m

1.AS Monaco | 2018/19 | Transfer earnings: €365m

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Transfer spend: €122m

For the goalscorer, who is still estimated at a market value of 4 million euros, the Blues are recording salary savings that are likely to be far higher than a conceivable transfer fee. In the meantime, a claim from London for EUR 6 million has been reported. Aubameyang’s contract at Stamford Bridge was originally set to run until 2024 following his €12m move from Barcelona last year.

This one year on the Thames was not successful in terms of sport. Aubameyang’s market value had fallen by almost 75 percent over the course of the season. The ex-Dortmunder, who moved from Arsenal to FC Barcelona on a free transfer in early 2022, was efficient in front of goal in a half-series in Catalonia, contributing eleven goals in 17 league games for Barça and two in the Europa League. At Chelsea it was just one goal in 15 Premier League appearances and two in the Champions League.

Ahead of Aubameyang transfer: Olympique Marseille bid farewell to Payet

However, Aubameyang will not play with Dimitri Payet in Marseille. The contract of the 36-year-old club icon, which was valid until 2024, was terminated on Friday. President Pablo Longoria said: “It is not an easy moment. We called this press conference to announce that we have decided not to continue the adventure with Dimitri Payet. (…) I would like to thank Dimitri for everything he has done for Olympique de Marseille over the years. As well as his exceptional talent, I would also like to pay tribute to his love for the club, the fans and the city. It is a symbol of the strong connection between OM and Marseille. I wish him all the best for the next chapter of his life. Dimitri will always call this place home.”

Rice, Benzema, Tonali & Co.: The top transfers in summer 2023

Christian Pulisic | Chelsea -> AC Milan | Market value: €25 million

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Transfer fee: 22 million euros
Gallery as of July 20, 2023

Karim Benzema | Real Madrid -> Al Ittihad Club | Market value: €25 million

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free transfer

Youri Tielemans | Leicester -> Aston Villa | Market value: €25 million

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free transfer

Marco Asensio | Real Madrid -> PSG | Market value: €25 million

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free transfer

Alejandro Grimaldo | Benfica -> Leverkusen | Market value: €25 million

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free transfer

Brenden Aaronson | Leeds -> Union Berlin | Market value: €25 million

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loan

Davide Frattesi | Sassuolo -> Inter | Market value: €25 million

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Rental fee: €6 million (obligatory purchase: €27 million)

Marcelo Brozovic | Inter -> Al-Nassr | Market value: €25 million

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Transfer fee: €18 million

Granite Xhaka | Arsenal -> Leverkusen | Transfer fee: €25 million

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Market value: €20 million

Antoine Griezmann | Barça -> Atlético | Market value: €25 million

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Transfer fee: €20 million

Kevin Shame | SC Freiburg -> FC Brentford | Transfer fee: €25 million

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Market value: €25 million (obligatory purchase)

Davide Frattesi | Sassuolo -> Inter | Market value: €25 million

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Rental with obligation to buy

Hamed Junior Traorè | Sassuolo -> Bournemouth | Transfer fee: €25.6 million

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Market value: €22 million

Nathan Collins | Wolves -> Brentford | Transfer fee: €26.85 million

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Market value: €22 million

Konrad Laimer | RB Leipzig -> FC Bayern | Market value: €28 million

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free transfer

Evan Ndicka | Eintracht Frankfurt -> AS Roma | Market value: €28 million

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free transfer

Felix Nmecha | Wolfsburg -> BVB | Transfer fee: €30 million

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Market value: €15 million

Manuel Locatelli | US Sassuolo -> Juventus | Transfer fee: €30 million

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Market value: €30 million (obligatory purchase)

Moise Kean | Everton -> Juventus | Transfer fee: €30 million

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Market value: €18 million (obligatory purchase)

Marcus Thuram | Gladbach -> Inter | Market value: €32 million

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free transfer

Seko Fofana | RC Lens -> Al-Nassr | Market value: €32 million

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Transfer fee: €19 million

João Pedro | Watford FC -> Brighton & Hove Albion | Transfer fee: €34.2 million

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Market value: €32 million

Orkun Kokcu | Feyenoord -> Benfica | Market value: €35 million

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Transfer fee: €25 million

Giacomo Raspadori | Sassuolo -> Napoli | Market value: €35 million

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Transfer fee: €26 million

Nicholas Jackson | Villarreal -> Chelsea | Transfer fee: €37 million

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Market value: €30 million

Mateo Kovacic | Chelsea -> Man City | Market value: €38 million

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Transfer fee: €29.1 million

Xavi Simons | PSV -> PSG | Market value: €40 million

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Transfer fee: €6 million

Xavi Simons | PSG -> RB Leipzig | Market value: €40 million

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loan

Jurrien Timber | Ajax -> Arsenal | Market value: €42 million

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Transfer fee: €40m plus 5m bonuses

Loïs Openda | RC Lens -> RB Leipzig | Transfer fee: €43 million

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Market value: €35 million

Lionel Messi | PSG -> Miami | Market value: €45 million

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free transfer

Pau Torres | Villarreal -> Aston Villa | Market value: €45 million

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Transfer fee: €33 million plus bonuses

Pedro Porro | Sporting -> Tottenham | Transfer fee: €45 million

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Market value: €40 million (obligatory purchase)

Lucas Hernandez | FC Bayern -> PSG | Market value: €45 million

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Transfer fee: €45m + 5m bonuses

Milan Skriniar | Inter -> PSG | Market value: €50 million

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free transfer

Dejan Kulusevski | Juventus -> Tottenham | Market value: €50 million

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Transfer fee: €30 million (purchase option)

Sergej Milinković-Savić | Lazio -> Al Hilal | Market value: €50 million

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Transfer fee: €40 million

Andre Onana | Inter -> Man United | Transfer fee: €52.5 million

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Market value: €35 million
Transfer fee can increase by a further 5 million euros through bonuses

Ruben Neves | Wolves -> Al-Hilal | Transfer fee: €55 million

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Market value: €40 million

James Maddison | Leicester -> Tottenham | Market value: €60 million

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Transfer fee: €46.3 million

Min Jae Kim | Napoli -> Bayern Munich | Market value: €60 million

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Transfer fee: €50 million

Manuel Ugarte | Sporting -> PSG | Transfer fee: €60 million

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Market value: €50 million

Sandro Tonali | AC Milan -> Newcastle | Transfer fee: €64 million

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Market value: €50 million

Mason Mount | Chelsea -> Man United | Transfer fee: €64.2 million

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Market value: €60 million

Alexis Mac Allister | Brighton->Liverpool | Market value: €65 million

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Transfer fee: €42 million

Dominik Szoboszlai | Leipzig -> Liverpool | Transfer fee: €70 million

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Market value: €55 million

Kai Havertz | Chelsea -> Arsenal | Transfer fee: €70 million

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Market value: €55 million

Christopher Nkunku | RB Leipzig -> Chelsea | Market value: €80 million

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Transfer fee: €60 million

Jew Bellingham | BVB -> Real Madrid | Market value: €120 million

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Transfer fee: €103 million

Declan Rice | West Ham -> Arsenal | Transfer fee: €122.7 million

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Market value: €90 million

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