Ousmane Dembele has reportedly reached an agreement in principle to join Serie A giants Juventus on a free transfer next summer.
According to a report by Spanish publication SPORT, Ousmane Dembele is inching closer to leaving Barcelona as a free agent in next summer’s transfer window. The Frenchman has reached an agreement in principle to join Serie A giants Juventus on a Bosman move, although he is also waiting for an offer from Paris Saint-Germain.
Ousmane Dembele joined Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund in a nine-figure deal in August 2017. However, the transfer has arguably been a colossal failure, as the 24-year-old has been blighted by a spate of injuries that have kept him on the sidelines longer than he has been on the field for the Blaugrana.
The same has been the case in the 2021/22 season, with Dembele managing only 438 minutes of game-time across eight appearances, providing two assists in the process. On top of that, the French international appears set to leave Barcelona after turning down their latest contract offer. Such a situation has captured the attention of several European bigwigs, including Juventus.
The interest from Juventus is understandable, considering Dejan Kulusevski is facing an uncertain future at the Allianz Stadium. In addition, Federico Bernardeschi is in the final year of his contract with the Serie A giants and has coincidentally been linked with Barcelona of late.
With Juan Cuadrado in the twilight of his career, the need to sign a wide-attacker has been accentuated for Juventus. To that end, Dembele is a viable target for the Bianconeri, especially because he will arrive on a free transfer if a Bosman move goes through. Such a situation aligns with Juventus’s difficult financial situation.
The Serie A giants now seem to have stepped up their efforts to sign the Barcelona contract rebel, who has reached an agreement in principle to complete a free transfer next summer. However, the move is not set in stone, as Dembele is also waiting for an offer from Paris Saint-Germain, who are another of his big-name suitors.
In addition, Dembele has recently been contacted by a gamut of marquee European clubs, including Manchester United. So, with several bigwigs of the continent keen on signing the 24-year-old, Juventus will need to move quickly to secure the services of the Barcelona contract rebel on a Bosman move.