According to reports from Don Balon, Chelsea and Manchester City are both interested in signing Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the end of the season.

What's the word?

Last Friday, Mirror Football sent the transfer rumour world into a tailspin by claiming Dortmund have accepted they'll be forced to sell their star striker, the aforementioned Aubameyang, at the end of the season - despite four years remaining on his current contract.

Indeed, it seems the Gabon international has outgrown the Black-Yellows, bagging 87 goals in 152 appearances across all competitions - including a Bundesliga return of five in five this season and 39 strikes across all competitions last term - since arriving from Saint Etienne in summer 2013.

The 27-year-old has made no secret of his desire to play for Real Madrid in the past, allegedly promising his grandfather that'd he'd one day don Los Blancos' kit and once describing the Bernabeu outfit as the 'club of his heart', and Mirror Football mention the European Champions as potential suitors.

Tottenham Hotspur v Borussia Dortmund - UEFA Europa League Round of 16 Second Leg

Chelsea and City boost?

Here's where things get a little interesting. Mirror Football reported last week that Chelsea and City were both preparing bids for the African attacker, who is apparently rated at around £65million.

And giving their twist on developing events, Don Balon discuss the factors that could rule out Aubameyang's dream move to the Bernabeu, not least including the presence of equally talented forwards in Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Alvaro Morata and (of course) Cristiano Ronaldo and the financial firepower of the Premier League.

Real Madrid's transfer ban, although not mentioned by Don Balon, also rules out the prospect of a summer 2017 move to the Spanish capital.

Chelsea v Manchester City - Barclays Premier League

What about Costa and Aguero?

Of course, Chelsea and City already boast two of the best front-men in the business in the form of Diego Costa and Sergio Aguero respectively. But the beauty of Aubameyang is that he can play out wide, as he did during his first season at Dortmund to accommodate Robert Lewandowski, and offers a different kind of threat through his scintillating speed.

Furthermore, Costa and Aguero both come with their fair share of problems. Whilst injuries always impact the latter's game-time over the course of a season, Costa's never too far away from the referee's notebook or retrospective action from the FA. Although Kelechi Iheanacho and Michy Batshuayi are both exciting young players, it's understandable their employers might want more experienced alternatives, such as Aubameyang, to serve as second-choice strikers.

Here's a look at how Aubameyang's efforts compared to City and Chelsea's current strike options last season...

aubameyang-compared