Memphis Depay and Aubameyang departures: hot!

Key Points 

• Barça-Juve agreement for Memphis Depay being given the final touches although his departure alone is not enough to register Jules Koundé.

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who arrived free in January, has now agreed to go to Chelsea and play under Thomas Tuchel. A final agreement between Barcelona and Chelsea is missing with a possible 18 million pound offer plus Marcos Alonso from the Blues'. Barcelona wants both transfer operations to be independent of each other.

• Juventus will forgive Barcelona the variables owed for Miralem Pjanic.

Aubameyang and Memphis departures are very hot

The week is coming to an end at FC Barcelona without the announcements of any registrations or departures. However, the offices at the Camp Nou have been very busy working on closing at least two exits that would allow the registration of center-back Jules Koundé for this Sunday's away game against Real Sociedad. Both departures would allow Barcelona to have enough fair-play margin to sign Marcos Alonso from Chelsea as well as a right-back.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the departures of Memphis Depay to Juventus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Chelsea are at an advanced stage. However, Depay's transfer alone is not enough to register Koundé. The sale of Aubameyang has to be added to the departure list and Barcelona is running against time, who have until five minutes before the starting whistle at the Reale Arena to technically register Kounde.

The 28 year old Dutch striker will go to Turin with the freedom letter, the same one with which he arrived at the Camp Nou a season ago. It's a condition Memphis asked for when he slashed wages to sign for the Blaugrana a year ago due to the delicate financial situation of the club. In exchange for a free transfer, Juventus has agreed with the Catalan giants that it will forgive the five million pending variables in the transfer of Miralem Pjanic in 2020, which was closed at 60 million euros.

According to the Italian newspaper Tuttosport, there's only one final detail of the payment to the Dutch striker that needs to be ironed out before a deal is completed. Memphis wants to receive the deferred salary for his first season at Barça. That adds up to about two million euros. If that's included in the liquidation of his contract and in the final salary with Juve, then the exit will get a green light. That's where there is a lack of understanding right now. While waiting for the final touches to the deal, it remains to be seen if Memphis will train today with Xavi to prepare for the match against Real Sociedad.

Jules Kounde still doesn't have the go ahead from La Liga to play against Real Sociedad

As for the 33 year old former Arsenal striker, Aubameyang, there has been a rapid change in future outlook in recent days. Up until last week he was in no mood to leave the Camp Nou as he felt comfortable both in the dressing room and in Catalonia as his family lives in Sitges. Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel's strong interest in signing 'Auba' after having been together at Borussia Dortmund for two seasons between 2015 and 2017 have made the Gabonese change his mind in accepting to go to Chelsea, where he can be an undisputed starter. With Lukaku and Werner gone, Chelsea need that traditional striker whereas at Barcelona his role is more off the bench after the marquee signing of Robert Lewandowski.

Auba is no stranger to London as he has lived there between 2018-2022 playing for Arsenal, whose rivalry with the Blues' is not as fierce as the one with Tottenham, to which the Gabonese would have flatly rejected out of respect for the Gunners.

According to The Athletic, Chelsea will offer 18 million euros plus left-back Marcos Alonso, who has personal terms agreed with Barça while waiting for some departures so that fair-play margin can be generated for his signing. Barçelona, however, prefers that the two transfer operations aren't clubbed together and be treated independently. They value Aubameyang higher than what Chelsea is offering them and would like to sell him for around 30 million euros and would enable them to enter a higher amount in the financial books which will directly impact fair play.

Aubameyang arrived for free after terminating his contract with Arsenal but his salary is set to jump this year, so the operation, if closed, will help Barcelona slash their overall wage bill.