Chelsea head coach Graham Potter has insisted that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's recent exile from the first team is not 'terminal' and he could return to the lineup shortly.
Aubameyang had seemed surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge after he was removed from the Blues' Champions League squad for the second half of the season and omitted from the matchday squad to take on Fulham last Friday, jetting off to Milan instead.
The Gabon striker was linked with a move back to Barcelona towards the end of the January transfer window, and interest from MLS champions LAFC has emerged in recent days.
Chelsea added Joao Felix and David Datro Fofana to their forward options in January, with Kai Havertz still Potter's preferred option up front, but he insists this is not the end of the road for Aubameyang at the club.
"In my job every player while they are here is important," Potter said ahead of Saturday's trip to West Ham.
"Every player should understand their situation and be treated with respect and then it’s their decision how to act and he has acted fantastically. He really has.
"We have got Joao, we have Kai, we have got David. We thought we wanted to get more of a look at them in the short term.
"But that’s not to say it’s a terminal situation for Pierre. We had to be honest with him and give him time. That was why he was out of the previous match. But while he is here it’s not to say that will always be the case."
