Newcastle United have reportedly offered a massive €15 million-a-year contract to lure French winger Ousmane Dembele from Barcelona on a free transfer in 2022.
According to a report from French publication Foot Mercato, Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele has emerged as a subject of strong transfer interest from Premier League outfit Newcastle United. The Magpies have opened talks with the Frenchman and put forth a bumper contract offer to lure him away from Camp Nou.
Dembele joined Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2017, as a replacement for Neymar who had left for Paris Saint-Germain that summer. However, the 24-year-old’s switch to Catalonia has failed to yield the desired results so far, with him struggling with injury issues throughout his spell at the club.
Indeed, Dembele has missed close to 100 games in his four years at the club due to fitness issues and is yet to take the field for Barcelona in the current season after picking up a fresh injury at the UEFA Euro 2020 during the summer. Despite this, the Catalans are keen on handing him a new contract, with his current one expiring at the end of the season.
However, talks over a new deal are not progressing swiftly, with Dembele’s camp assessing all the options at their disposal. The likes of Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool have been credited with an interest in the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner with Newcastle United also joining the race for the 24-year-old now.
The Magpies are ready to make some big moves in the transfer market in the next year after their mega-takeover was approved by the Premier League earlier this month. That has made Newcastle the richest club in the world, thanks to their new owners’ deep pockets, which has meant that they are being linked with a slew of high-profile transfers for January and the summer as well.
Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet has emerged as a target for the winter window and now they are also eyeing a swoop for Dembele, albeit on a free transfer at the end of the season when his current deal with the Blaugrana ends. To that end, the Tyneside outfit, who are also on the lookout for a new manager after sacking Steve Bruce, have offered the Frenchman a mega-money five-year deal.
As per the terms offered, Dembele would stand to make a hefty €15 million per year while he would also be given a €15 million signing-on bonus should he opt to sign for Newcastle. In comparison, Barcelona are willing to hand him an extension till 2025, with wages that will be further reduced from his current €10 million-a-season due to the club’s financial woes.
The 24-year-old does have a lot of options to weigh up, with Manchester United also preparing a big-money contract for him. So, it remains to be seen what decision he arrives at. While Newcastle’s interest in him is very much understandable, any move would hinge on them surviving the drop from the Premier League, with them currently struggling in the 19th position.
