Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly decided to end their interest in Barcelona contract rebel Ousmane Dembele ahead of the summer.
According to Le Parisien, PSG have dropped out of the race to secure the services of Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele, who is set to become a free agent in the summer.
Dembele has been with Barcelona for five years now but looks set to depart in the upcoming summer transfer window. The 25-year-old is set to enter the last month of his contract with the Catalan giants. Talks over an extension have not gone according to plans, with an exit looming large.
Discussions over a contract renewal for the French international had broken down at the turn of the year. However, talks had resumed in recent months after the winger’s performances in the second half of the season under Xavi Hernandez.
There had been optimism initially about striking an agreement. However, of late, Barcelona have lost hopes of extending Dembele’s contract, and the former Borussia Dortmund ace is bound for the exit doors. Several top clubs have shown an interest in the 25-year-old, including Paris Saint-Germain.
PSG have been hot on the trail of Dembele since the January transfer window. Reports even claimed that he had a verbal agreement with the Ligue 1 champions over a possible move in the summer. The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner was sought as a replacement for Kylian Mbappe, amidst doubts over his future. However, the French international has penned a new three-year deal with the Parisian outfit.
But, PSG are set to lose Angel Di Maria, who will become a free agent at the end of June. So, they will need a new forward to add to their roster and Dembele was seen as a viable option.
However, as per the report, the Ligue 1 champions have decided to end their pursuit of Dembele. It is claimed that Luis Campos, who is expected to take over as the sporting director of the club shortly, does not wish to add the Barcelona winger to the squad, leading to PSG backing out of the race.
Dembele, though, has no shortage of suitors, with Chelsea keen on the forward while Bayern Munich also retain an interest. So, it will be interesting to see where the French international ends up come next season. But, as things stand, an exit from Barcelona looks very likely.