CHELSEA fans believe outcast Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang would be smiles better than Kai Havertz up front after seeing Frank Lampard take his first training session.
Aubameyang laughed alongside Lampard as the Stamford Bridge legend returned as an interim replacement for sacked manager Graham Potter.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang laughs with interim Chelsea chief Frank Lampard and Reece James in training at Cobham
Lampard has refused to get drawn into commenting on his long-term future
Stamford Bridge legend Lampard ran the rule on familiar faces plus the expensive buys of ill-fated predecessor Graham Potter
The ex-Arsenal striker, 33, struggled for even a bench spot under Potter.
But many Bridge supporters feel he is the out-and-out scorer Chelsea need, even if no longer the lightning-quick force he once was.
One fan said: “Reintegrate Aubameyang immediately. Havertz is simply not good enough for Chelsea.”
Another posted: “He’s a striker they can’t score. I’d try anything.”
A third wrote: “I mean he is a full on 9.”
And a fourth reckons Aubameyang could at least be a stop-gap answer until the summer.
One topic of whether to bring the Gabon hero back, the supporter replied: “I really hope so. He might not be the perfect solution but for the foreseeable future he would be a good striker.”
Chelsea splashed £551million in the last two transfer windows.
But despite £323m of that coming in January, Potter failed to bring in a world-class frontman.
Instead his main buys were Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernández for a £115million British record and £88m Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhailo Mudryk.
Some fans, however, suggested Aubameyang is no longer an elite goal-getter.
One wrote: “Aubameyang doesn’t start for any top club anymore I love him and thank him for winning us the FA Cup but that’s just facts.”
Former Chelsea and England midfielder Lampard, 44, picks his first team on Saturday when his 11th-placed side visit Wolves.
Lamps was previously appointed permanent Blues’ manager in July 2019 but axed 17 months later before also being sacked by his last club Everton in January this year.
