These stories are samples pulled from external media sources. They do not represent the views or position of Chelsea Football Club.

Aubameyang to swap Gunners for Blues?

With the Daily Express reporting Arsenal are ready to listen to offers for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after pulling out of contract talks with the striker, Chelsea have emerged as one of the favourites to sign the Gabon international according to the media.

Aubameyang is second to Jamie Vardy in the Premier League scoring chart this season with 17 goals but the Gunners reportedly have been unable to come to an agreement on a new deal with their club captain who has just a year left on his current contract.

It has opened the door for his possible departure this summer with the Blues emerging as one of his more likely destinations, according to the Metro.

‘With clubs unlikely to sanction big money moves and Arsenal facing the prospect of losing him for free, the Gunners will accept bids of around £30m,’ states the report.

‘That will be music to the ears of Barcelona, who have tracked the former Dortmund ace for the last 12 months. However, should Aubameyang wish to stay in London, it gives Chelsea renewed hope that they could sign the forward, who is determined to play Champions League football next term.

‘Arsenal’s preference would be to sell to a a club abroad but getting Aubameyang’s reported £200,000-a-week wages off the books is likely to be a priority if the club fail to qualify for the Champions League.’

Ziyech on the early end to the Dutch season

According to Goal.com, Hakim Ziyech has described the feeling of not being able to say a proper goodbye to Ajax ahead of his move to Chelsea as ‘weird’.

The Morocco international was hoping to round off his four-season spell with the Amsterdam club with a second consecutive Eredivisie title. However, he will not have a chance to do so after the decision was made to end the season without a champion being crowned.‘This isn't the way I wanted to finish the season and say goodbye to Ajax, obviously,’ he told Voetbal International.

‘I, and all people around the club, had something great in mind for the coming months. That isn't happening and that's very unfortunate.‘I knew it was over when [Dutch PM Mark] Rutte said there will be no football until the first of September. I wanted to end my time here in a good way, with a championship title.‘On the other hand, I immediately accepted it because there's clarity now. The health of all people is more important, after all. It is weird. Not just for me, but for everyone in the Netherlands and the rest of the world.’Ziyech said he could take some solace from Ajax winning 3-1 at Heerenveen in his last game at the club on 7 March.‘Thankfully, we won,’ he said. ‘That was it for me at Ajax. The end. Weird, though.‘I think you are right when you say it was a remarkable adventure. I was able to experience great things at Ajax and also some less nice things.’

Ba sympathises with Gerrard for his costly slip

Demba Ba has told Sky Sports that Steven Gerrard must find it ‘difficult to live with’ his error against Chelsea in 2014 which proved costly for Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes.Gerrard’s infamous slip on the stroke of half-time allowed Ba to run clear to open the scoring as the Blues won 2-0 at Anfield to derail the Reds’ hopes of winning a first league title for 24 years.

Ba said he felt sorry that Gerrard retired in 2016 without claiming a Premier League winner's medal.‘I think it must be difficult to live with,’ said the Sengalese striker.‘You know if I put myself in his shoes, which I really didn't up until now, but it must be terrible for a player that played so long for one team and that has played so great for one team, basically losing a title on a mistake that he has done.‘Of course (I have) a degree of sympathy, yeah maybe. I'm not really thinking about it too much.’