Barcelona 'Turned Down' the Chance to Sign Borussia Dortmund Hitman After Neymar Quit Nou Camp

Barcelona officials rejected the opportunity to sign Borussia Dortmund star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to Spanish reports.

The Gabon striker has remained at Westfalenstadion for the start of the 2017/18 season, despite reports all summer suggesting he would finally move on.

Aubameyang has been with Dortmund since 2013 after moving from Saint-Etienne, and has forged a reputation as being one of world football's top strikers - last season, he pipped Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski to the German Golden Boot with 31 league goals.

This season he has started in similar fashion, hitting 10 in his first 11, and Mundo Deportivo claim Spanish giants Barca could have had a slice of that prolific goalscoring because he was offered to them following the sale of Neymar in the summer.

However they rejected the overtures since they already had a number nine in Luis Suarez.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/GettyImages

Although Barca are top of the league in Spain and have looked strong so far, they might be ruing the missed opportunity given the concerning start made by Suarez.

The Uruguayan has only scored three goals so far and has had to deflect criticisms about the kind of shape he is in.

Furthermore, one summer signing they did make in Ousmane Dembele has been injured for a the past two months and won't be back until around the New Year, meaning Aubameyang's services would have come in very handy.

Ernesto Valverde is keen for new recruits in January though and recently expressed his desire for club officials to deliver him quality players who are ready-made to start.