Why did Aubameyang join Deportivo? He wanted regular football, a starring role, and a project that genuinely wanted him. Deportivo offered all three, plus a two-year deal and the No. 7 shirt. He turned down other offers to take it.
That is the short answer. The longer one is more interesting, and it starts in A Coruña on a warm August night.
The Move Nobody Saw Coming
Football fans are hard to surprise in July. This one managed it.
A striker with goals in the Bundesliga, the Premier League, Ligue 1 and the Saudi Pro League signed for a newly promoted Spanish club. The reaction across Galicia was disbelief, then delight.
Understanding why Aubameyang joined Deportivo means looking past the headline. This was not a sentimental last dance. It was a deal that suited both sides.
The Transfer: Fee, Contract and Shirt Number
Deportivo moved fast in mid-July 2026.
Aubameyang passed a medical in Madrid on 16 July. He flew to A Coruña the next day. The club confirmed him within hours on the official Deportivo site.
The Aubameyang Deportivo transfer fee sat at roughly €1.5 million, according to Spanish reports. Some outlets described the Marseille exit as closer to a free transfer. Either way, the cost was tiny by top-flight standards.
The Aubameyang Deportivo contract runs until June 2028. That is two full seasons. He took the No. 7 shirt left open by Mulattieri.
Sporting director Fernando Soriano had made a striker his summer priority. He got a big one.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Detail | Figure |
|---|---|
| Signed from | Olympique de Marseille |
| Reported fee | Around €1.5 million |
| Contract | Until June 2028 |
| Shirt number | 7 |
| Age on signing | 37 |
| Coach | Antonio Hidalgo |
Aubameyang’s Age Was the Whole Debate
He was born on 18 June 1989 in Laval, France.
Aubameyang’s age raised eyebrows immediately. Plenty of 37-year-olds fade quietly in a lesser league. Few return to a top-five division and start every week.
His numbers argued back. He scored 14 goals and added 10 assists in 40 games for Marseille last season. That is not a player winding down.
Pace has always been his weapon. It has dulled a little. His finishing has not.
Deportivo’s LaLiga Return After Eight Long Years
Context matters here, and the context is emotional.
Deportivo finished second in the 2025–26 Segunda División, behind champions Racing Santander. They went up automatically and avoided the promotion play-offs entirely. Antonio Hidalgo’s side sealed it in late May.
The Deportivo LaLiga return ended an eight-year exile. The club dropped out of the top flight in 2018. Worse followed. They fell into the third tier before climbing back through Primera Federación and LALIGA HYPERMOTION.
Older supporters remember Súper Depor, the 2000 league title, and European nights at Riazor. Younger ones grew up watching away trips to towns their parents had never heard of.
Two other clubs made the same journey this summer. Our guides to the Racing Santander 2026/27 season and the Málaga CF squad cover how they have started.
So Deportivo needed a signing that said something. It found one.
Deportivo La Coruña Signings 2026: Building a Squad That Survives
Aubameyang was the headline, not the whole story.
The Deportivo La Coruña signings of 2026 added depth across the pitch. Goalkeeper Leo Román came in and took the 13. Amatucci arrived in midfield with the 16. Asp Jensen took the 18, Bright Ede the 22, and Angeliño settled on 24.
Up front, Aubameyang joined Bil Nsongo and Zakaria Eddahchouri. That gives Hidalgo three genuine options. Squad depth wins survival campaigns.
Our full Deportivo La Coruña 2026/27 season guide breaks down the whole squad and fixture list.
A Debut at Riazor That Made LaLiga History
Deportivo Riazor has hosted some famous evenings. It added one more on 17 August 2026.
Aubameyang started against Elche in front of nearly 30,000 people. In the 21st minute, Amatucci found him with a long pass. He controlled it with his right foot inside the box and finished with his left past Dituro. Then he celebrated with a somersault.
Elche equalised through Aguado in the 76th minute. The game finished 1–1.
The goal still made history. At 37 years and 60 days, he became the oldest player ever to score on his debut for a Primera División club. He passed Movilla and the great Kubala in that particular record book.
He also joined a short list of veteran Deportivo scorers. Only Donato and Valerón have scored later in life for the club.
Then he scored again. Two goals from his first two matches put him inside the early LaLiga top scorer standings, alongside names half his age.
Days later he turned up at a local pitch and joined a kickabout with kids from the neighbourhood. A Coruña fell for him quickly.
Aubameyang’s Career Clubs: A Striker Who Has Seen Everything
Aubameyang’s career clubs read like a tour of European football.
He started at AC Milan without playing a senior game. Loans across France followed, then a move to Saint-Étienne in 2011. Borussia Dortmund signed him in 2013, and he scored 98 goals in 144 Bundesliga matches.
Arsenal paid a club record for him in January 2018. He captained them and won the FA Cup.
FC Barcelona took him on a free transfer in 2022. Chelsea came next, then Marseille, then Al-Qadsiah in the Saudi Pro League for a single season. He returned to Marseille in 2025.
He has also been Gabon’s best player for over a decade. He remains the Gabon national team’s all-time leading scorer.
Has Aubameyang Won LaLiga?
Yes, technically, and the story is a good one.
His Aubameyang LaLiga medal came with Barcelona in 2022–23. He played eight minutes of the opening game against Rayo Vallecano before joining Chelsea. Spanish rules made that enough.
Busquets thanked him by name during the title celebrations. It was the first league title of his career.
He has never won the Champions League, despite what some headlines suggest. PSG beat Arsenal on penalties in Budapest to win the 2026 final, and remain the holders heading into this season’s Champions League campaign.
The Risks Worth Naming
No signing this age is risk-free.
Injuries take longer to shake off at 37. A promoted squad plays a brutal calendar, including the Copa del Rey. AFCON may also pull him away for a stretch of the season, as international duty always has.
Deportivo know all this. They paid a small fee and structured a short deal for exactly that reason.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Deportivo pay for Aubameyang?
Around €1.5 million, based on Spanish reporting. Some outlets suggested the figure was lower still.
How long is his contract?
Two years, running to June 2028.
What shirt number does he wear?
Number 7.
When did Deportivo get promoted?
In May 2026, finishing second in the Segunda División behind Racing Santander.
What stadium do Deportivo play at?
Abanca-Riazor in A Coruña, with a capacity of roughly 32,600.
Who else plays up front for Deportivo?
Bil Nsongo and Zakaria Eddahchouri share the striking duties with him.
Has Aubameyang ever won the Champions League?
No. His major honours are LaLiga, the FA Cup and the German Cup.
The Verdict
Ask why Aubameyang joined Deportivo and the answer is refreshingly simple. He wanted to matter again.
Riazor gave him a full stadium, a coach who builds around him, and a city that treats his arrival as an event. Deportivo got a proven finisher for the price of a squad player.
Both sides took a gamble. Two matches into the season, it already looked smart.
Deportivo host Valencia at Riazor tonight. Follow every goal on our live La Liga scores and tables page, and browse more football analysis while you wait for kick-off.