Manchester United have reportedly turned down the opportunity to sign Ousmane Dembele from Barcelona in the summer.
According to a report by Spanish publication Don Balon, Ousmane Dembele has been offered to Manchester United, with his future at Barcelona under a cloud. But, the Premier League heavyweights have rejected the opportunity to secure his services, with Jose Mourinho not interested in adding him to his squad.
Dembele arrived at Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund last summer with a lot of promise and hype surrounding his talent following a fantastic maiden season in Bundesliga. But, the ensuing campaign has been underwhelming to say the least, with the player struggling with injuries.
Furthermore, the arrival of Philippe Coutinho, coupled with the possible summer signing of Antoine Griezmann is threatening to ground his Barcelona career before it even takes off. With his role as a starter potentially under a threat, a summer departure from Camp Nou seems to be on the cards. And, the player has been offered to Manchester United.
Jose Mourinho’s need for a creative outlet on the right flank hasn’t been solved by the arrival of Alexis Sanchez, with the Chilean mostly occupying the left side of the Manchester United attack.
With Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford struggling to make an impact from the right flank, and Juan Mata the only other player who has shown some semblance of consistency, Dembele could be a viable target for Manchester United.
But, the player doesn’t fit into Mourinho’s plans for the summer transfer window, and the Manchester United manager has swiftly turned down the opportunity to sign him. Barcelona though, seem to be eager to get Dembele off their books, with Ernesto Valverde and Josep Maria Bartomeu taking a hands-on approach to find him a new club.
The Blaugrana are also aiming to recoup as much of the €140 million outlay they made on him last summer. But, with Manchester United not interested in signing him in the coming summer transfer window, it remains to be seen if any other club plots a move for him instead.
As far as Manchester United are concerned, it is uncertain if they are still eyeing attacking reinforcements in the summer. What remains certain is that Dembele isn’t on Mourinho’s transfer wishlist.