Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang flew to Milan as Chelsea drew with Fulham after the Champions League side’s snub, but Graham Potter insists the striker has “done nothing wrong”

Chelsea boss Graham Potter insists Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has done “nothing wrong” after the striker flew to Milan while the Blues played Fulham.

Aubameyang was left out of the club’s Champions League squad for the rest of the season and was not included in the matchday squad for Friday night’s Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge.

The 33-year-old boarded a plane to Italy after being told he would not take part in the game, which ended in a goalless draw with January signing Mykhailo Mudryk departing at half time, while the record £106 arrival .8 million Enzo Fernández impressed.

Fernández was one of three new signings added to Chelsea’s European squad at Aubabeyang’s expense, ahead of the first leg of their round of 16 clash with Borussia Dortmund.

However, rather than being a reaction to the behavior of the former Arsenal and Barcona striker, Potter insisted that the decision was just a matter of numbers.

“He’s a professional,” Potter said.

“I understand that you will be disappointed. It was a difficult decision. Pierre is unlucky and will be fighting for his place for the rest of the season.

“Whatever decision we make, there will always be a conversation about it. It was my decision. You have to make these calls. He hasn’t done anything wrong at all.

“I have a responsibility to articulate these decisions to the best of my ability with the player. He has handled it very well, today he trained fantastically”.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano offered a transfer update on the Gabon international, insisting he will leave Stamford Bridge at ‘100 per cent’ later in 2023.

Fernández, who signed in the final hours before Tuesday’s transfer deadline, was heavily involved in the Fulham clash but was unable to provide the spark his new team needed to unlock the Cottagers.

The former Benfica midfielder came close to beating Chelsea late on when his first-half shot curled out of the reach of goalkeeper Bernd Leno and fell wide of the post.

“I thought it was handled magnificently,” Potter said of Fernández.

“You could see his quality, see what he will bring to the team. It wasn’t easy for him or for us because he hasn’t been with us that long. But I’m excited about him.

“I think we have a lot of positivity and a good feeling, certainly from the start of the game, and the crowd helped with that. Within the team there was a good feeling.

“I agree that we didn’t do enough in terms of our attacking game to create more, which is something we need to do.

“That little bit of connection, that fluidity and understanding, we probably lacked a bit, which is understandable when we have players coming back from injuries and new players on the team. That’s exactly where we are right now.

“In the Premier League against organized defensive units, you are always on your toes. Some positive aspects of us, I thought the effort was there, the spirit was there. But as an attacking team we would like to do more.”