Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United are reportedly among the clubs exploring the chance to sign Ousmane Dembele after his fallout at Barcelona.
According to Foot Mercato, There is significant interest in Ousmane Dembele from Premier League clubs, who are keen on signing the French forward following his latest fallout with Barcelona.
When Ousmane Dembele put in some flying performances at Borussia Dortmund, he was considered the next big thing and was spoken of in the same breath as Kylian Mbappe. His top-quality displays earned him a big move to Barcelona, and he was seen as a potential replacement for departed star Neymar.
However, his time at Camp Nou has been marred by constant injury issues and loss in form. The French forward has somehow managed to stay put at Barcelona until now and reportedly remained keen on continuing his career in Catalonia until the latest debacle involving failed contract negotiations.
It has been widely reported that Barcelona did not agree to Dembele’s demands for an exponentially increased salary and huge commissions for his agent. The Blaugrana did try and offer him a new deal, but that has since been rejected, paving the way for the Frenchman to leave the club at the next given opportunity.
Barcelona signed Ferran Torres from Manchester City recently, and his arrival could offset Dembele’s possible departure in the January transfer window. However, most clubs interested are keen on signing him on a free transfer in the summer when his Barcelona contract expires.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United are reportedly keen on signing the French forward, especially if he is available on a free transfer. Tottenham are also interested in him, although they may not be able to meet his demands.
Similarly, Arsenal, who are on the verge of offloading their highest-paid star and Dembele’s former Borussia Dortmund teammate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang may not agree to pay the Frenchman over the odds. Mikel Arteta has a new structure at the club and will not break the pattern so soon.
Moreover, the Gunners are well stocked with wide attacking players, with Bukayo Saka and Nicolas Pepe occupying Dembele’s preferred right-wing slot.
As for Chelsea, the Blues can surely come to a good financial agreement with the player, although it might be hard to find room in the current setup. Thomas Tuchel may still find space in his side and use a high-quality attacker of Dembele’s quality in his squad.
Chelsea could also make way by selling a few of their current stars next summer, such as Hakim Ziyech or Christian Pulisic. Such a move could pave the way for Dembele to arrive from Barcelona and hold an important position in Tuchel’s setup.
Manchester United are also mentioned in the report as a possible destination. The Red Devils are certainly among the clubs capable of paying huge sums in salaries and could prove an exciting destination for the Frenchman.
However, considering Manchester United only signed Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer, it is difficult to see them bringing in another attacker, especially when they need midfield signings as a priority instead.
It remains to be seen if Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester United gamble on a player with a dreadful recent injury record. No club in the current climate will pay what he demands, which could force Dembele to lower his needs and move on with his career.
