Manchester United have been handed a blow in pursuit of French winger Ousmane Dembele, who is committed to Barcelona.
According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Ousmane Dembele has no intention of leaving Barcelona in the summer transfer window. The French international, to that end, is ready to snub an offer from Manchester United and is prioritising signing a new contract with the Blaugrana.
Dembele joined Barcelona in the summer of 2017 after sealing an acrimonious exit from Borussia Dortmund. The switch to Camp Nou, though, has not worked out as envisioned so far, with the 23-year-old suffering a number of hamstring injuries in addition to other fitness issues that have kept him on the sidelines longer than he has stayed on the pitch.
The ongoing season, though, has signalled a turnaround in his fortunes, with Dembele managing to stay fit for stretched periods. This has invariably impacted his performances on the field in a positive manner, with the Frenchman having a decent return of 10 goals and 4 assists in 36 outings till date. His progress has unsurprisingly alerted Manchester United, among others.
Manchester United hold a long-standing interest in Dembele, having attempted to sign him on loan last summer as well. Ahead of the latest summer transfer window, though, the Red Devils seem to have reignited their interest in the youngster, with reports suggesting that they are lining up a move for him.
In fact, as per Mundo Deportivo, Manchester United have already tabled an offer to secure his services. However, Dembele has no intention of leaving Barcelona, especially at a time when he seems to be turning his fortunes around in a big way, as evidenced by his crucial strike against Real Valladolid earlier this week.
Indeed, while he only has a little over a year remaining on his current deal with Barcelona, the 23-year-old is committed to the Blaugrana and is ready to put pen to a new contract. Manchester United, meanwhile, will have to turn their attention elsewhere in search of an attacking reinforcement, as they continue their search for a right-winger.
As for Dembele, the Frenchman has the backing of president Joan Laporta to secure a renewal, with manager Ronald Koeman also admittedly keen on keeping hold of him. The likes of Juventus and Manchester United, therefore, look set to miss out on his services in the summer.
