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Thomas Tuchel has added fuel to the fire by admitting he will always have a close bond with reported Chelsea target Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Aubameyang, 33, joined Barcelona for nothing last season after a very public fallout with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
And the Spanish giants are seemingly ready to cash in this summer, with the Blues said to be plotting a swoop for the £15million-rated striker.
Tuchel worked with Auba at Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea’s head coach focused on their relationship, rather than play down talk of a potential switch, during his press conference for Sunday’s London derby with Tottenham.
The German said: “This is totally separate from anything that is happening now, but I enjoyed a lot working with Auba while I was at Dortmund.
“Some players stay your players because you were very, very close. Auba is one of those players.
“There was always straight away this close bond. They always stay your players in a way.”
Tuchel is short of options up front following the departures of Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner.
Record signing Lukaku, 29, rejoined Inter Milan on a season-long loan in June, while 26-year-old Werner completed a £25m return to RB Leipzig earlier this week.
Chelsea host Spurs knowing the game is being billed as an early indicator of whether both sides can mount serious title challenges.
The hosts won their opening game of the season 1-0 at Everton last Sunday, while Antonio Conte’s men thumped Southampton 4-1 at home the day before.
And with more than bragging rights seemingly on the line, the Stamford Bridge encounter is being tipped as a potential classic.
