Boehly held phone call with Aubameyang to explain Thomas Tuchel sacking

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has held a call with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to give the striker reassurances over his future.

The Gabonese striker only joined the Blues on transfer deadline day, making his debut against Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday night. However, the talks are believed to have been prompted by Aubameyang's relationship with now-departed manager Thomas Tuchel.

Tuchel and Aubameyang worked together at Borussia Dortmund earlier in their respective careers, and the veteran spoke of his "joy" at being reunited with his old boss. The reunion lasted just 59 on-pitch minutes, though, with Tuchel sacked on Wednesday morning after the defeat in Croatia.

It will be an honour and a joy again [to play with Tuchel], we had some good times in Dortmund together so I am really happy to play for him again," Aubameyang said after joining from Barcelona. "We will achieve some big things, I am sure of this and I will try to help the team."

According to The Telegraph, Boehly made a personal call to Aubameyang in addition to offering wider reassurances to the squad. He is said to have been assured he was a "club signing", not just a Tuchel signing, and will still have a role to play under the incoming new manager.

The player is reportedly "appreciative" of the measures taken by the owner. Still, Aubameyang - like Tuchel himself - is believed to have been surprised by the developments. In addition to the call with the striker, Boehly and fellow controlling owner Behdad Eghbali addressed the full squad on Wednesday, while progress is being made on the appointment of Tuchel's successor.

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Chelsea are poised to appoint Graham Potter as Tuchel's permanent replacement, with the Brighton & Hove Albion boss heading to London for talks with the Blues. Potter's latest press conference has been cancelled as he closes in on a move to Stamford Bridge.

The former Swansea and Ostersunds boss is believed to have a release clause of £16m, but Chelsea have acted quickly to make the appointment official. There had even been suggestions he could be brought in within 24 hours of Tuchel's dismissal, but these proved slightly wide of the mark.

Brighton currently sit three points ahead of Chelsea in the Premier League table, having won four of their first six matches of the season. This is despite losing defender Marc Cucurella to the Blues over the summer, with the Spaniard moving to Stamford Bridge in a £62m deal.

Chelsea's next Premier League game is against Fulham on Saturday, while they return to Champions League action with a home game against Red Bull Salzburg on Wednesday. The London side are not due to face Brighton in the league until October, in a game which could well see Potter make his first return to the Amex Stadium.

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