Tuchel: Auba not afraid of the No. 9 shirt

Tuchel: Auba not afraid of the No. 9 shirt

New signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is not afraid of the supposed curse of the No. 9 shirt at Chelsea, manager Thomas Tuchel said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters ahead of Saturday’s league game at home to West Ham, he said expects the Gabon striker to bring a host of qualities to the squad.

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Chelsea signed Aubameyang from Barcelona on the transfer deadline day on Thursday, as the 33-year-old sealed his return to the Premier League seven months after leaving Chelsea’s London rivals Arsenal.

Aubameyang will be Chelsea’s newest No. 9, taking over from Romelu Lukaku who rejoined Inter Milan after a lacklustre season at Stamford Bridge.

Several forwards who wore the No. 9 shirt — including Fernando Torres, Radamel Falcao, and Alvaro Morata — failed to leave a mark at Chelsea despite arriving with high expectations, but Tuchel has confidence in Aubameyang.