Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hints at Borussia Dortmund exit after Chelsea links

Chelsea-linked Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has put clubs on alert after declaring that he is considering leaving the Bundesliga side in order to grow as a player.

The Gabon international had been of interest to the champions before they sealed a deal for Alvaro Morata, with Dortmund willing to entertain offers in the region of £65m.

However, the German outfit had set a July deadline on any deals and the player himself told newspaper Welt am Sonntag that he was happy to stay put at the club having failed to agree a move away.

Now, though, the 28-year-old has caused a stir once again stating on Sunday that he 'surely' needs to leave in order to grow.

“I am still reflecting on whether I should leave or not,” said Aubameyang.

“This is the question I keep on asking myself – and I don’t have an answer. I need time to think about it. If I want to grow, I surely need to leave this summer. I am 28 and I need to grow. If I leave, it will only be somewhere I would play regularly.”

Despite the Blues having already broken their club-record fee to sign Morata, the situation surrounding on-strike Diego Costa leaves Antonio Conte with just two senior strikers to cope with the rigours of a Premier League campaign alongside a return to the Champions League, meaning another arrival would not be out of the question.