By Betsefy
Barcelona boss Xavi has refused to guarantee that both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Memphis Depay will still be at the club beyond the end of the summer transfer window.
The attacking duo are currently being strongly linked with moves away from Camp Nou, with Chelsea said to lead the race for Aubameyang, while Juventus are the favourites for Memphis.
Both players were involved in last weekend’s goalless draw with Rayo Vallecano and are also available for the team’s second La Liga match of the campaign against Real Sociedad on Sunday night.
However, when asked about the pair on Saturday, Xavi could not guarantee that both would stay, with Barcelona needing to move players on before the end of the month due to their summer spending.
“The transfer window is open until [Sept. 1] and we don’t know what will happen. At the moment, [Aubameyang] is our player and I am counting on him. For me, he’s an important player, but we will see what happens,” Xavi told reporters ahead of Sunday’s clash with Real Sociedad.
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“For now, neither [Aubameyang nor Memphis] has left. If there’s an offer for one of them, we will see how the squad is and decide what to do.”
Chelsea are believed to have made a £15m offer for Aubameyang, with the Blues looking to bring the former Gabon international back to the Premier League.
The 33-year-old only joined Barcelona in January after terminating his contract at Arsenal, and he was a key player for the Catalan side in the second half of last season, scoring 13 goals and registering one assist in 23 appearances, including 11 goals in 17 La Liga outings.
The attacker has a contract at Camp Nou until June 2025, but he could struggle for regular starts this season following the arrival of Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich.
Aubameyang, who has also been linked with Manchester United, played in the Premier League for Arsenal between 2018 and 2022, scoring 92 goals in 163 appearances for the Gunners in all competitions.
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Memphis, meanwhile, moved to Camp Nou on a free transfer last year, and he scored 13 times and registered two assists in 38 appearances for the Catalan giants last term.
The forward netted 12 times and registered two assists in 28 La Liga appearances in 2021-22, with his form impressive in the first half of the campaign, but he found it difficult to secure regular starts after Ferran Torres, Aubameyang and Adama Traore moved to the club in January.
There have been suggestions of Premier League interest from Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Man United, but Juventus appear to be firmly at the head of the queue for his signature.
The Old Lady are allegedly hopeful of signing Memphis on a free transfer, with the Netherlands international in the final year of his contract with Xavi’s side.
