Arsenal are reportedly weighing up a late bid to sign Ousmane Dembele, with the Barcelona winger also a target for Manchester United
According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Arsenal are looking to step up their pursuit of Ousmane Dembele with a deadline day move. The Barcelona star is also the subject of interest from Premier League rivals Manchester United.
Dembele endured a tough maiden campaign at Barcelona last season, having arrived from Borussia Dortmund in a shock big-money move with a burgeoning reputation. With injuries and indifferent form playing spoilsport though, the player could never quite establish himself as a regular.
A tough World Cup campaign followed and the subsequent signing of Malcom have led to rumours that the player could be on the exit trail at Camp Nou. But, there has been no shortage of suitors in his pursuit, with Manchester United and Arsenal interested in signing him.
At Manchester United, the need for a natural winger to man the right side of attack has been prevalent much before Jose Mourinho even arrived at Old Trafford. But, the manager has been yearning for such a player for a long time now, although United have struggled to secure the services of one.
Dembele is thus, a viable target for Manchester United, who could have a creative force in the French international if his Dortmund stint is anything to go by. Arsenal too, have an urgent need to sign a winger of the player’s qualities.
Unai Emery does not have even one natural winger in his squad, with the likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alex Iwobi more adept at playing in central areas, even though they can play out wide as well. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also seems to have become an option for the flanks, which perhaps is indicative as to why a winger will be welcomed with open arms.
And, Arsenal are looking to beat Manchester United in pursuit of the Frenchman by lodging a late bid for him. The Gunners are considering the possibility of landing him on a deal worth €100 million, albeit by initially signing him on a season-long loan deal this summer before paying €90 million as the transfer fee next summer.
As per the report, a €100 million bid will be enough to convince Barcelona to sell, although they are looking to recoup the amount this summer itself to possibly pursue moves for players like Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba, which complicates matter for Arsenal.
What is another obstacle for Arsenal is the fact that Dembele has pledged his loyalty to Barcelona by insisting that he’ll stay at Camp Nou. This is a move that looks unlikely to be completed by either Arsenal or Manchester United, with mere hours remaining in the transfer window, with the player likely to remain at his current club.
