La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are reportedly considering offloading 25-year-old French forward Ousmane Dembele next year.
According to a report by Spanish outlet ARA, Barcelona might produce a shocker by deciding to sell Ousmane Dembele next year. The Catalan giants are weighing up the prospect of cashing in on the 25-year-old forward in the January transfer window, when he will have 18 months left on his deal.
Ousmane Dembele has endured a rollercoaster ride since joining Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund in August 2017. Nearly half a decade since arriving at Camp Nou as a long-term replacement for then-recently departed Neymar, the Frenchman has arguably not filled the void adequately.
But the 25-year-old has shown flashes of brilliance during this stint and is starting to mature under the tutelage of Xavi Hernandez. That was best visible in the second half of the 2021/22 season as Dembele went on a tear to guide Barcelona to a second-place finish in La Liga.
In addition, the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner ended the campaign with more assists than any other player in the Spanish top-flight (13), despite playing only 21 games. Dembele has recently been involved in one of several sagas at FC Barcelona, ending long-dragging negotiations to finally commit his immediate future to the Blaugrana.
The 25-year-old forward has signed a two-year contract with Barcelona after months of speculation surrounding his future. But Barcelona might look to cash in on Dembele next year, with the Catalan giants reportedly considering his sale for as early as the January transfer window.
On one hand, the decision to sell Dembele might make sense as he will only have 18 months left on his contract at the turn of the year. But the French international has become a pivotal figure for Barcelona in the last six months, and selling him might be a foolish decision from the Blaugrana.
Dembele might not have any shortage of suitors, considering Chelsea, Liverpool, and Paris Saint-Germain showed interest in him this summer before he signed a new deal. But it will be interesting to see if the player becomes a cash cow for Barcelona heading into the January transfer window.