Chelsea striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is due to return to the Gabonese side a year after announcing his international retirement.
The striker said the return was prompted by a meeting with the African country’s president, Ali Bongo Ondimba.
“(I) listened to the wise words he spoke to me as a father speaking to his son,” Aubameyang posted on Instagram.
Gabon, led by former La Rochelle defender Patrice Neveu, are currently top of their qualifying group for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
They can seal their place at the tournament in Ivory Coast next January, with one game to play, when they host the Democratic Republic of Congo in June.
“A few days ago, I had the immense honor of being received by the President of the Republic (of Gabon) Ali Bongo Ondimba,” Aubameyang’s message added.
“Following that, I made myself available to my country and to coach Patrice Neveu.”
The French-born striker, who made his debut for Gabon in 2009, has endured several difficult club campaigns in recent seasons, including being stripped of Arsenal captaincy in December 2021 before moving to Barcelona in the following transfer window.
It has now been related to a summer move back at Camp Nou, where he started the 2022-2023 season.
The Catalan club have confirmed Aubameyang will get a La Liga winners’ medal with their title win this season despite playing just eight minutes before his move to Chelsea.
Aubameyang was brought to the Premier League for the first time of Borussia Dortmund in 2018 Arsene Wenger, then Arsenal manager, scored 92 goals in 142 starts for the Gunners.
However, he has scored just once in the Premier League for Chelsea this season and, despite scoring both home and away against his first club AC Milan in their group of the Champions League, was dropped by the Blues for the playoffs.
