PIERRE EMERICK-AUBAMEYANG has been axed from Chelsea’s Champions League squad – and then jetted straight to Milan.
The Gabon striker, 33, is left out in order to accommodate the club’s recent arrivals.
Chelsea’s record January transfer outlay led to them bringing in EIGHT new players in.
However, Uefa rules mean that they are only able to include three of their signings in their Champions League squad for the knockouts.
Chelsea forked out a whopping £107m upfront with a potential further £4m to follow in add-ons to Benfica for Enzo Fernandez.
And the most-expensive player in Britain has been included along with Mykhailo Mudryk and Joao Felix.
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Therefore that means that fellow new boys David Datro Fofana, Noni Madueke, Andrey Santos, Gabriel Slonina and Benoit Badiashile have all missed out.
Jorginho’s deadline day exit to Arsenal did free up one place in the squad – which was only initially a 24-man one for the group stages.
But another player also had to be omitted to make room for the trio which has led to Aubameyang being left out.
However, despite his lack of match action under Graham Potter, the former Barcelona man was still expected to get the nod in favour of Hakim Ziyech.
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The winger saw a deadline day switch to PSG fall through and he was the favourite by many to be a casualty.
But the 29-year-old is in – causing more frustration for Aubameyang.
The striker only moved to Stamford Bridge in September but has scored just three goals and started nine matches since Potter took over.
And he appeared to take the latest snub badly as he was pictured in Milan with his brother on Friday night – which his teammates were facing Fulham.
Chelsea face Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League last-16 with the first leg taking place in Germany on February 15.
Fernandez, Mudryk and Felix have all featured in the competition already for their previous employers but are all available to play for the Blues.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
