Chelsea and Manchester United to battle it out for Ousmane Dembele
According to Spanish publication, SPORT (h/t Express), Chelsea and Manchester United are set to battle it out for Ousmane Dembele.
The Frenchman joined Barcelona 2017 from Borussia Dortmund for a massive transfer fee of £117m. While he has shown flashes of brilliance, he has failed to put up a consistent string of performances.
The 23-year-old’s contract expires in 2022 and negotiations regarding an extension at Barcelona have hit a roadblock. Given his potential, it is fair to say that he has failed to hit the desired heights at the Nou Camp.
Injuries and inconsistency have marred his stay at Barcelona. However, Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman appears to have put his trust in the young Frenchman (h/t Express)
He has only made 93 appearances for the club in three and a half years. During this same time, he has missed an incredible 85 games due to injury. (h/t Transfermarkt)
Barcelona are keen to rid themselves of Dembele if he does not sign a new contract. Koeman is keen to bring Memphis Depay to the Nou Camp once the Dutchman’s contract expires this summer at Lyon. (h/t Express)
Dembele is clearly an exciting talent who is yet to fulfill his potential. As long as he can stay fit, he is likely to be an asset to the club.
Given that we are still to see the best of our big summer signings in Kai Havertz and Timo Werner, how far the Blues are willing to spend next summer remains to be seen.
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The upcoming summer presents the last chance for Barcelona to sell the player for a decent fee. The Frenchman will be free to discuss pre-contract arrangements from January 2022 and can be signed for a free later that summer.
However, it all depends on how well his negotiations with Barcelona go. It will be worth keeping an eye out on developments in the coming months.
