Graham Potter leaves door ajar for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to make return to Chelsea squad

Graham Potter has hinted Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could make a return to the Chelsea squad for this weekend’s clash with Tottenham. 

The Gabon international, 33, has not been named in the side’s last three Premier League squads despite chronic goalscoring issues that has seen them score only four times in all competitions this calendar year.

Having been signed at the backend of last summer by Potter’s predecessor, Thomas Tuchel, Aubameyang has struggled to revitalise his career in England and his time at Chelsea reached a nadir when he was left out of their Champions League squad at the end of January.

However, asked about the prospect of Aubameyang returning to the fold this weekend, Potter said that he was ‘available for selection’.

‘He is competing for a place in the squad. Good response to the situation we’ve been in. He is available for selection,’ the under-pressure Chelsea boss said.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could be in line for a return to the Chelsea team after Graham Potter’s admission 

The Gabon international has found himself almost frozen out having been left of the club’s Champions League squad

The former Arsenal forward trained on Friday ahead of the clash with Tottenham.  

Aubameyang’s plight at Chelsea has seemingly only ramped up the pressure on the former Brighton boss, with Potter under mounting scrutiny amid a disastrous run of results for his side.

Chelsea have only scored four times in all competitions this calendar year, while they have only netted 23 times in as many Premier League games all campaign.

One of the accusations levelled at Potter during his time with Brighton was that his side were perfect until the final third, at which point they faltered and struggled to put the ball in the back of the net. 

The 1-0 defeat to Southampton on the weekend appeared to be a real sliding doors moment for Potter and the club, with supporters seemingly turning on the manager. 

Asked about such in his pre-Tottenham press conference on Friday, Potter revealed that he and his family had received death threats this week.

‘You have got to take the situation for what it is, take the criticism, but don’t get drawn into stuff that is incorrect. Try to have perspective but at the same time acknowledge the criticism and bad feeling. That’s how it should be.

‘It’s a challenge and if you go to work and somebody is swearing abuse at you it’s not going to be pleasant.’

‘The world is tough for everybody,’ added Potter. ‘We are going through an energy crisis, a cost of living crisis, people are striking every other week.’

‘Nobody wants to hear about the poor old Premier League manager. Nevertheless if you ask me, “Is it hard? Is it tough? Is it nice to hear?” as much as I’ve had support, I’ve had some not particularly nice emails that want me to die and want my kids to die. That’s obviously not pleasant to receive.

Potter has revealed he and his family received death threats from Chelsea ‘supporters’

‘You get upset when you are in private with your family. My job is to act how I think I should act in the best way for the team and the club, and act with integrity.

‘I never want to be anybody else. I don’t want to be fake. I will be me and I will do my best and if my best isn’t good enough, OK, I accept that.’ 

Ahead of the game on Sunday, which has been billed as a clash that could go some way to deciding the ultimate future of the two managers involved, with Antonio Conte at Tottenham not in an ideal position, Potter admitted that he was personally aware of the gravity of Chelsea’s current situation.

‘If you are referred to as “the worst person in the history of the club”, you can say, “I don’t care”, but everyone does care what people think. I want to succeed here so it’s nonsense this notion that I don’t care,’ he said.