Chelsea have enjoyed an unrivalled period of success across Roman Abramovich's near two decades as owner at Stamford Bridge.

From their five Premier Leagues and two Champions Leagues, plus last month's Club World Cup triumph, the Blues have won it all under the Russian billionaire.

But amid mounting political pressure following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Abramovich is reportedly open to selling Chelsea for the first time.

TOP STORY – THREE PARTIES INTERESTED IN BLUES 

According to The Telegraph, at least three parties are circling Chelsea in the belief that Abramovich is ready to walk away.

Abramovich announced on Saturday, a day before the Blues' EFL Cup final loss to Liverpool, that he is taking a step back from his duties as owner.

The report indicates that Chelsea are bracing themselves for bids as early as this week as a changing of the guard at Stamford Bridge becomes a realistic possibility.

ROUND-UP

- Manchester City have ramped up their interest in Borussia Dortmund's in-demand striker Erling Haaland, according to The Express. City chief Txiki Begiristain is said to have recently met with agent Mino Raiola to discuss the signing of Haaland.

- Ralf Rangnick has been ruled out of the running to become Manchester United's next permanent boss. The Sun claims that Mauricio Pochettino and Erik ten Hag, in charge of Paris Saint-Germain and Ajax respectively, are the two men being considered.

- Sky Sports News reports that Antonio Rudiger's representatives remain in constant dialogue with Real Madrid and PSG over an end-of-season transfer. Chelsea want to keep hold of the defender, but they have been unable to agree fresh terms. 

- According to football.london, Arsenal are eager to reward Bukayo Saka with a new deal at the end of the campaign. The England international is already under contract at Emirates Stadium until July 2024.

- Atletico Madrid midfielder Hector Herrera will see out the remainder of the 2021-22 LaLiga campaign before making the switch to Houston Dynamo in MLS, Fabrizio Romano suggests. Herrera has made 14 appearances this term and is a regular for Mexico.

Manchester United have to be "dreaming" of landing players like Erling Haaland says Dimitar Berbatov, who also defended Cristiano Ronaldo's recent performances for the Red Devils.

Interim boss Ralf Rangnick was recently filmed on a video clip posted to social media saying "Who? What are you dreaming at night?!" in response to a fan asking if United were going to sign Borussia Dortmund star Haaland.

The Norway striker certainly has no shortage of suitors with the likes of Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona all heavily linked with the superstar forward.

With United way off the pace in the Premier League and firmly remaining outsiders in the hunt for the Champions League, Rangnick was perhaps not too far wide of the mark when suggesting Haaland is out of reach for now.

But former United striker Berbatov believes Haaland is the kind of player United have to once again think about signing to restore their standing among the elite clubs in Europe.

"I saw the video going around social media of Ralf Rangnick laughing off Erling Haaland signing for United," Berbatov told Betfair, in quotes reported by several British newspapers.

"He told a fan that they 'must be dreaming' about signing him, maybe that's a sign that they can't afford him or it's not possible for him to move to the club at this moment in time when they aren't producing good enough football to get his interest, maybe that's what he meant.

"For me they need to go back to those high standards of performance that they used to set, so that they can attract big players.

"Everybody wants him in summer and maybe Rangnick was being realistic. It's not a great look, though, and in this day and age you have to be careful because you can end up in a moment where you need to explain yourself.

"You must be mad to not want a player like Haaland in your team, so maybe Ralf Rangnick should start dreaming."

One superstar whose future at United remains a little unclear is veteran forward Ronaldo, who made a sensational return to Old Trafford in August.

Ronaldo is United's top scorer this season but he has netted only once in 2022, while his comeback has coincided with a campaign that saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sacked and persistent rumours of dressing room unrest among the squad.

Berbatov, though, suggested the 37-year-old is allowed to have bad games and said the onus is on his team-mates to produce the goods when he is not playing at his best.

"When teams have a bad result the star players always end up with the blame, and at the minute with Manchester United, that's Cristiano Ronaldo," said Berbatov, who played alongside Ronaldo during his four years at Old Trafford.

"At the moment he's got just one goal in 10 games and that seems problematic for everybody, but not for me.

"There are eleven players on the pitch and the blame should be shared. Ronaldo is an icon in the world of football and people need to remember that he's 37.

"So, from time to time he is allowed to have a couple of bad games. But I don't think that is the problem here.

"People need to be realistic with him and they need to know that it's totally different when you're 37 to being 27.

"He is going to have moments when he needs his team-mates to produce more for him, that's normal in football. Ronaldo is a total professional and he will speak to the manager and he will want to produce more.

"Everybody in the United team needs to produce more, the standards should be a lot higher than they are.

"Ronaldo is also a realistic guy, he will know that his performances aren't where he wants them to be, even though he's older and his game is totally different, he sets very high standards. I don't think that needs explaining to him."

Borussia Dortmund should have a clear idea on Erling Haaland's future in the next six weeks, but their chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke insisted they can cope without their talisman.

Haaland has taken the Bundesliga by storm since he arrived from Salzburg in January 2020, scoring 80 goals in 79 appearances across all competitions – finding the net once every 80.5 minutes on average.

That has made him one of the most sought-after talents in European football, with a host of elite clubs circling for when his reported €75million release clause kicks in at the end of this season.

The 21-year-old is yet to declare his intentions, with Dortmund head coach Marco Rose suggesting he has not given up hope of retaining Haaland's services.

Dortmund chief Watzke revealed a conclusion to discussions will likely arrive soon, though he believes Rose's side will recover even if they lose their star striker.

When asked whether Dortmund can keep Haaland by n-tv, Watzke responded: "I don't know. That will certainly clear up in the next few weeks, maybe a month, maybe six weeks.

"If he decides to leave, we will deal with it the way we always have. We have lost a few goalscorers in the past: Robert Lewandowski, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. We will find someone new again."

Dortmund have managed without Haaland for the past month after the forward, who has scored four goals in four games in all competitions to start 2022, sustained a muscle injury.

Rose's team have netted 25 times in eight matches this calendar year – trailing only Liverpool (31) and Real Betis (29) across Europe's top five leagues.

Dortmund will be hoping to continue that rich vein of scoring form when they look to overturn a 4-2 deficit at Rangers in the second leg of their Europa League knockout round play-off at Ibrox on Thursday.

Erling Haaland will not play for Borussia Dortmund against Rangers at Ibrox, but the visitors still believe they can turn their Europa League tie around – and with good reason.

Superstar striker Haaland has been out with a muscle injury for the past month, having scored four goals in four games in all competitions to start 2022.

But Dortmund have continued in that vein without their talisman, netting 25 times in eight matches this calendar year – trailing only Real Betis (29) across Europe's top five leagues heading into the midweek matches.

That rate of 3.2 goals scored per game is also bettered by just one team, meanwhile, in Bundesliga rivals Bayer Leverkusen (3.3).

Keeping opponents out at the other end has been the issue for Dortmund, with five of Leverkusen's 20 goals coming away at BVB. A similarly lacklustre defensive showing in the first leg of their knockout round play-off saw Rangers 4-2 winners away from home.

Again only Betis (42) have had more goals for and against combined in 2022 than Dortmund (41).

And Betis provide the inspiration for Dortmund, as the only team to have thrown away a two-goal away-leg lead to exit the Europa League, doing so against rivals Sevilla in 2013-14.

Rather than worrying about Haaland's absence then, head coach Marco Rose is focused on ensuring his back line are up to the task in Glasgow, giving BVB the platform to fire themselves through.

"Erling has been out for almost half of the season. Nevertheless, we scored a lot of goals," Rose told his pre-match news conference.

"Tomorrow we have to attack, go for goals. Of course, one can always slip in [at the other end]. That is why we have to be careful.

"We have to work out better solutions going forward than in the first leg. Against Gladbach [a 6-0 Bundesliga win], that was a good first step."

On the recovering Haaland, Rose added: "There is always a lot of reporting on Erling. He needs a little more time. He is still a bit away from 100 per cent.

"We are in contact, he keeps trying and keeps working. He still needs some time. He must be painless – and we're not there yet."

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang said it "would be an honour" to play alongside Erling Haaland at Barcelona.

Aubameyang made the switch to Camp Nou effectively on a free transfer in January after his Arsenal contract was cancelled amid a falling out with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.

The Gabon striker may face competition in the form of Borussia Dortmund sensation Haaland next season, with Barca among a plethora of clubs reportedly interested in signing one of world football's hottest properties.

Last month Barca president Joan Laporta did not rule out making a move, despite the club's well-documented financial woes, saying Los Cules are "still a point of reference in the transfer market".

If Haaland did arrive it could impact Aubameyang's playing time but the 32-year-old would love to have the Norway star as a team-mate.

"I'm always prepared for healthy competition with my team-mates, so it would be an honour to play with him if he ends up joining Barca," Aubameyang, who scored a hat-trick in the 4-1 LaLiga beating of Valencia on Sunday, told SPORT.

"I'm not a coach, but I think Haaland is a great player.

"He scores a lot of goals, he has a very good physique and a lot of speed. He is very big, but he runs a lot. He is incredible."

One player Aubameyang has reunited with at Barca is Ousmane Dembele, a prospect that was not necessarily a foregone conclusion last month.

Dembele was linked with the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain and may still leave on a free transfer at the end of the season when his contract expires.

But Aubameyang did his part to try and convince Dembele to stay and continue a partnership that began when the pair were both playing at Dortmund.

"It is something very special because we had an incredible year in Dortmund and he is an incredible player," he added.

"Ousmane is one of the best with the ball and, for a striker, he is incredible.

"To tell the truth, I am very happy that he is here and when I arrived I told him: 'You have to stay, man.'"

When asked whether he thought Dembele would stay put, Aubameyang added: "I don't know, but the only thing I can say is that everything is possible in life."

Erling Haaland should leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season, according to former player Ruben Sosa.

Haaland reportedly has a clause in his deal at Signal Iduna Park that will allow him to move for a fee of around €75million at the end of the current campaign.

Sosa - who won the Bundesliga with Dortmund in 1996 - believes the Norwegian marksman should be "given the chance" with one of Europe's heavyweights, naming Spanish giants Real Madrid as one of several possible destinations.

Speaking exclusively to Stats Perform, Sosa urged Haaland not to worry about outside criticism if he does leave.

"I think that he should be given the chance of going to another team," the Uruguayan said.

"Right now, he has given everything, you know. When you have given everything to a team, you must go, because some fans who don't understand football will criticise you afterwards, saying that well, you scored goals, but now you are thinking only about money.

"I think he should be given the chance of going to another club. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Juventus, because he has already given everything, and in a short amount of time, so what comes next will be criticised for different reasons. [Either] money or if he doesn't score."

Haaland has scored 80 goals in 79 games for Dortmund since joining from Salzburg in January 2020. Of players in Europe's top five leagues, only Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski (112 goals in 94 games) has scored more in all competitions.

Sosa - who also played for Real Zaragoza, Lazio and Inter during his career - suggested Haaland could still one day return to Dortmund even if he does leave this year.

"For me, he should go to another good team and probably, in the future, afterwards, return to Dortmund," he added. "You always want to end your career at the club where everything started."

Erling Haaland will not return for Borussia Dortmund this weekend, with Marco Rose calling on the other attackers to start pulling their weight. 

Dortmund have been without Haaland for their past three matches after the striker sustained a muscular injury in the 3-2 win over Hoffenheim on January 22. 

In his absence, BVB suffered heavy 5-2 and 4-2 losses to Bayer Leverkusen and Rangers respectively either side of a 3-0 win at Union Berlin. 

Rose revealed Haaland would not be ready to feature against the coach's former club Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga on Sunday. 

He laid down the gauntlet to the other attackers in the team, despite Dortmund having scored 57 goals - of which Haaland has contributed 16 - after 22 games this season. The only time they have managed more at the same point in a Bundesliga campaign was when they had 63 in 2019-20. 

"Erling is not ready for the game. He has participated in parts of training, but he is not yet fully operational," Rose told a news conference on Saturday. 

"Others have to step into the breach. It's not about wanting to sugarcoat anything. 

"We're now introducing Donny [Donyell] Malen to the Bundesliga and Dortmund. He's felt like he's taken one-to-two steps back in the last two games. Before that, I publicly praised him for his development here. 

"If Erling isn't there, others have to pull on the chains and prepare the gates. I have to say this, too; we won 3-0 in Berlin a few days ago. We kept a clean sheet after a long time." 

Gladbach will be aiming to make it three straight Bundesliga wins over Dortmund for the first time since 1981, but they have only triumphed once away to BVB in their past 16 attempts in all competitions. 

BVB will be without defender Manuel Akanji due to a muscle tear sustained in the defeat to Rangers, while Marius Wolf is a doubt and Thomas Meunier will not play. 

Paul Pogba's future with Manchester United remains up in the air.

Pogba is out of contract at the end of this season and deferred contract talks with United.

The midfielder is reportedly open to offers with Pogba's agent Mino Raiola shopping him around.

TOP STORY – NEWCASTLE ENTER POGBA PURSUIT

Newcastle United have entered the race to sign Manchester United's Pogba, reports Fichajes.

The Magpies are hoping to land the 28-year-old France international on a free transfer, although it is unclear if he would entertain the move to a club that is currently battling relegation, albeit Newcastle will hope that will be different next season.

Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Juventus have also been linked with Pogba, who could also opt to stay at Old Trafford.

ROUND-UP

- Tottenham's Harry Kane will not decide on his future until the end of the season, after trying to join Manchester City last year, reports The Standard. Kane is currently not interested in discussing a contract extension with Spurs.

- Madrid have tabled a final offer for Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland claims Sport. Haaland has been pursued by several top clubs including PSG, Barcelona, United, Chelsea and Manchester City.

- Marca claims that Barcelona will swoop for Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen should he become a free agent this upcoming off-season.

- The Daily Star claims that Donny van de Beek will push for a permanent move away from Manchester United to Everton if his loan spell goes well.

- Milan are interested in Tottenham winger Steven Bergwijn, reports Calciomercato.

The pursuit of 21-year-old Borussia Dortmund forward Erling Haaland is well known.

Manchester City, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester United and Bayern Munich have all been linked with Haaland.

The race is set to heat up, with Haaland reportedly holding a €75 million (£68m) release clause in his Dortmund contract which triggers at the end of the current season.

TOP STORY – MAN CITY LEAD THE WAY IN HAALAND RACE

Football Insider reports that Man City are in the box seat to sign Haaland in a major development with his father Alf-Inge Haaland's connection with the club.

Alf-Inge played with City from 2000 to 2003 and is telling Erling to join the club ahead of other suitors.

City's Abu Dhabi owners are set to launch a concerted pursuit for the Norwegian and will be able to meet his release clause.

Madrid 's bid to sign Haaland may be aided by Adidas, who are associated with the club and looking to bring him on board, after his deal with Nike expired at the end of January.

ROUND-UP

- ESPN reports that Lyon are preparing a significant offer for Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette, whose contract expires at the end of this season. Lacazette joined the Gunners from Lyon in 2017.

- El Nacional claims that Madrid are open to selling Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who is being targeted by PSG. Casemiro is a regular but his sale may open up funds for moves for Kylian Mbappe and Haaland.

- Franck Kessie will depart Milan when his contract expires at the end of this season, reports Calciomercato, with Barcelona entering the race to sign the midfielder, and Tottenham also interested.

- Sport claims that Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta already has an agreement in principle to join Barcelona on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of the season.

- Edinson Cavani will exit Manchester United at the end of his contract in June, with Spain his preferred destination rather than returning to South America according to Fabrizio Romano.

Things have not quite gone to plan for Cristiano Ronaldo in his second coming at Manchester United.

The Red Devils are out of both domestic cup competitions and sit well off the pace of Premier League leaders Manchester City, making an unlikely Champions League triumph their remaining hope for silverware this season.

Ronaldo is enduring a five-game goal drought and, according to a report, he could choose to end his second United spell after only one season.

TOP STORY – RONALDO WANTS MENDES TALKS OVER FUTURE

Cristiano Ronaldo will speak with his agent after growing disillusioned with life at Manchester United, according to the Daily Star.

The forward is hoping to speak with Jorge Mendes when he is back in Portugal for March's World Cup play-off against Turkey about his options after the end of the season.

Ronaldo, whose contract runs until the end of 2022-23, wants to see who will be appointed as United's next permanent manager – but he is not in favour of giving the job to interim boss Ralf Rangnick.

ROUND-UP

- Paul Pogba is also looking to leave Manchester United this year when his contract expires, but he will have to accept a pay cut to get a move abroad that he wants, the Mirror says.

- A possible replacement for Pogba could be Youri Tielemans. Het Nieuwsblad reports Leicester City have dropped their asking price for the midfielder, who is wanted by United and Arsenal.

- Real Madrid rejected the idea of signing Dusan Vlahovic, now at Juventus, because they are putting everything into getting Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe, says Cadena Ser.

- However, AS reports Madrid are still seriously interested in Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland, which could scupper Robert Lewandowski's hopes of moving to the Spanish capital.

- Juve defender Matthijs de Ligt is flattered by interest from Chelsea and Barcelona, Sport Mediaset claims.

- Barca are also desperate to sign Haaland and will therefore prioritise cut-price deals for defenders, says ESPN. Chelsea trio Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and Marcos Alonso are on their shortlist.

Erling Haaland's future remains in the balance after Borussia Dortmund head coach Marco Rose declared "everything is on the table".

The prolific striker's reported €75million release clause kicks in at the end of this season, putting a host of Europe's leading clubs on high alert.

With the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City all credited with interest in the Norway international, Rose knows Dortmund have a battle on their hands to keep hold of their star man.

But the 21-year-old is yet to declare his intentions and Rose has not given up hope of retaining Haaland's services.

"I'm in contact with Erling every day and also have a feeling for this player and this person," he told Bild.

"Everything is on the table internally, everyone is honest with each other. He'll make a decision at some point and the club will prepare well for it.

"We all want him to stay for sure."

Haaland is one of the most sought-after talents in world football after scoring 80 goals in 79 appearances for Dortmund since joining the club in January 2020.

His 80 strikes have come from an expected goals (xG) return of 64, meaning he has scored 16 goals more than expected given the likelihood of the shot going in.

No player from the Bundesliga, Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A or Ligue 1 boasts such a large xG differential.

Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland and Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe remain arguably the two most sought-after players in world football.

The pair, who boast 43 goals in 50 games between them this season, have inevitably been linked with an array of Europe's top clubs ahead of the next transfer window.

And it may well be that one replaces the other at PSG in the coming months.

TOP STORY – HAALAND AMONG PSG TARGETS

L'Equipe reports that Haaland is one of a handful of players being eyed up by PSG, who are growing increasingly concerned that Mbappe will join Real Madrid on a free transfer.

However, the Ligue 1 giants are said to have made tying down Mbappe to fresh terms their main priority between now and the end of the season.

Should the World Cup winner depart, PSG would then have to see off competition from the likes of Madrid, Barcelona and several Premier League teams for Haaland's signature.

ROUND-UP

- Harry Kane failed in his attempt to force through a move from Tottenham last year, but Fabrizio Romano claims the striker is now happy to stay under Antonio Conte.

- After further enhancing his reputation by firing Senegal to Africa Cup of Nations glory, Goal reports that Sadio Mane is open to leaving Liverpool ahead of next season.

- According to Fabrizio Romano, Madrid are eager to finalise terms with Luka Modric over a new deal that will run through for an additional season until the end of 2022-23.

- Ajax are prepared to tempt Barcelona into allowing Sergino Dest to return to the club by offering Nicolas Tagliafico in exchange. That is according to reports from Spain.

- Calciomercato reports that Milan are close to agreeing a four-year extension for full-back Theo Hernandez, who is currently due to be out of contract in July 2024.

Karim Benzema leads the LaLiga scoring charts this term with 17 goals.

But Real Madrid are set to revamp their attacking options if transfer speculation is true.

Benzema turned 34 in December and is contracted until 2023.

TOP STORY – BENZEMA CONCERN ON MADRID FUTURE

Madrid top scorer Benzema has requested a meeting with president Florentino Perez over concerns on his future with Erling Haaland's potential addition, reports Onze.

Los Blancos are set to be bolstered by forwardKylian Mbappe's arrival in the off-season to form an attacking trio alongside Benzema and Vinicius Junior.

But Haaland's potential move from Borussia Dortmund has left Benzema fearing he may lose his spot.

ROUND-UP 

- Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger is being lined up by Bayern Munich as their ideal replacement for Niklas Sule, claims Fichajes. Sule has confirmed his exit to Borussia Dortmund for next season.

- Juventus have a new plan ahead of fresh contract talks with Paulo Dybala, according to Calciomercato. Dybala is unsigned beyond this season.

- Manchester United and Brazilian giants Flamengo have agreed to a £12m fee for the permanent sale of Andreas Pereira, reports Universo.

- Atletico Madrid, who are looking to replace the departed Kieran Trippier, are set to make a €30m offer for Aston Villa full-back Matty Cash, claims Mundo Deportivo.

- Calciomercato reports that Milan still have an eye on Club Brugge's Dutch talent Noa Lang.

Robert Lewandowski insists Erling Haaland's impressive form at Borussia Dortmund does not necessarily mean the striker will be a world-class talent in years to come.

Haaland is one of the most sought-after talents in world football after scoring 80 goals in 79 appearances for Dortmund since joining the club in January 2020.

That is a goals tally only Lewandowski can match over that period among players from Europe's top five leagues, the Bayern Munich star having notched 107 goals in 90 games.

Haaland's 80 strikes have come from an expected goals (xG) return of 64, meaning he has scored 16 goals more than expected given the likelihood of the shot going in.

No player from the Bundesliga, Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A or Ligue 1 boasts such a large xG differential, with Lewandowski (12.3) behind Luis Muriel (12.4) in third.

While there is no disputing Haaland's quality in front of goal, however, Lewandowski has questioned whether the Norway international will remain as prolific in seasons to come.

"Haaland is a great player who is fun to watch," Lewandowski told Polish magazine PilkaNozna. 

"But just because someone has great potential, it doesn't mean they will be a real star for many years."

Breaking down Haaland's goals with Dortmund further, he has scored 96 per cent of them from inside the box, compared to 84 per cent for Lewandowski over that period.

However, Haaland has scored far more goals with his left foot (80 per cent), whereas Lewandowski is predominantly right footed, netting 67 per cent of his from within 18 yards.

The duo are far from identical in terms of playing style, too, as pointed out by Lewandowski.

"I don't like comparing a 33-year-old player with a 21-year-old player because everyone has their own development," he said.

"But he's strong, fast, physical. His game is based on that. I have different qualities. And we don't know how he will develop..."

This season alone, Lewandowski has scored 10 goals more than Europe's next most prolific marksman in Karim Benzema (24 goals), with Haaland third on 23 goals.

The Poland international turns 34 in August, but in a warning to his rivals for the 2022 Ballon d'Or award, he does not believe he is yet at his peak.

"My performance tests are now giving better results than last year," he said. "As for the numbers, it seems my best time is yet to come. I feel better now than I did two years ago."

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang believes he can become a Champions League winner with Barcelona and expects Xavi to use him as a number nine.

Released by Arsenal after a turbulent end to his Gunners career, Aubameyang described coming to Barcelona as "the opportunity of my life".

The 32-year-old forward has been brought in to add experience and goals to a Barcelona team who have been short on both counts this season.

For all the talented youngsters being brought through, Barcelona sit fifth in LaLiga after 21 games, having won only nine times so far.

Aubameyang follows Ferran Torres and Adama Traore in leaving the Premier League for Camp Nou in recent weeks, and while Barcelona have already been knocked out of this season's Champions League, the latest addition to Xavi's squad sees no reason why they should not be successful there next term.

"Barca is a great club that has to win the Champions League. That's why I came to Barca," Aubameyang said at his presentation.

"It's an opportunity to win the Champions League, and I'm here to do everything we can to get back into the Champions League and then go out and win it.

"It's true that I've not played for a little while, but in my head everything's very clear, and I'll be ready soon to play and help out, and I know we're going to go back to the top little by little.

"I have spoken with the coach. He sees me playing as a number nine, and I will be ready very soon to play there. If he needs me on the wing, there will be no problem with that."

Barcelona have scored just 32 goals in LaLiga so far in 2021-22, the seventh-most in the competition. This is despite them having the second-highest expected goals (xG) total of 36.9 (beaten only by Real Madrid's 44.58).

The xG metric looks at the quality of a team's chances, rather than the quality of finishing, and by bringing in Torres and Aubameyang, Barcelona will hope they can begin to make better use of their opportunities.

Aubameyang said the move had felt "like a dream" and he was "not ready to wake up", but the mention of Erling Haaland from reporters at his presentation may have been a momentary reality check.

For all that Aubameyang may bring this season, Barcelona are already looking for newer additions, and 21-year-old striker Haaland has been long linked with the club.

The Norwegian is starring for another of Aubameyang's former teams, Borussia Dortmund, and Barcelona president Joan Laporta ushered away enquiries at Thursday's presentation when Haaland's name was raised.

Aubameyang has scored seven goals this season at one every 159.29 minutes, while Haaland has hit 23 for Dortmund, finding the back of the net every 70.35 minutes.

"Today we're occupied and very excited with Aubameyang," Laporta said. "In June, we will strengthen the squad. We're on the right track.

"Right now, we're occupied with the present and the immediate. What we want is to try and compete for the league, and also win of course the Europa League, which are the competitions that remain today.

"That's the state of affairs today. With regard to players, it's of course work for the technical staff. There are interesting players, and we will evaluate the opportunity to incorporate those, but I'm not going to talk about that now."