Barcelona set asking price for Ousmane Dembele
The hottest kid from Barcelona in Ousmane Dembele could be sold if the asking price is met. This is claimed by the respected Spanish Journalist Eduardo Inda. There are a number of clubs in Europe who would like to pay that amount to land the young Frenchman, but what it is interesting is that a few days back an official statement from Barcelona came out which clearly stated that the club intends to invest in the winger's future.
So what has changed?
Dembele had a difficult first season after the dramatic move to Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund. A hamstring injury kept him out of action for three months. He struggled to make any impact on his return due to a lack of play time, Brazilian Philippe Coutinho's arrival and his own poor performances.
He only netted 3 goals in seventeen appearances for the Spanish giants, but that is not the reason why Barcelona are tempted to sell now. Barcelona are desperate to land Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid this summer. They could end up paying €100m for the French forward, moreover, Barca have to raise cash to pay for Coutinho's sale.
They would need to offload a few players to raise cash but none are currently valued at a high price to make these transactions smooth. Financial fair play and ballooning wage bills are the reasons why Barcelona would like to let go of one of their prized assets this summer.
Likely Destination
Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp is a massive admirer of Dembele.
He wanted to sign the Frenchman when he was at Dortmund. In a recent press conference, when asked about Dembele's availability, he remarked "Is he available? Now I am interested."
Klopp is well aware that injuries to one of his wingers can put a break to his firepower during the season. Moreover, he needs more firepower in front to add variety with pace. Dembele fits the bill from all aspects in Klopp's style of play and vision and the German is reportedly keen on bringing Dembele on board.
If rumors are to be believed, Liverpool have made initial contacts for a loan option. It is not known if Barcelona will still want to invest in the player with high wages, though, a loan would certainly reduce the burden financially but will not possibly meet the immediate need for cash.
Spanish media's speculation on an outright sale at €100m has some merit, however, it remains to be seen if Klopp will go all the way to complete the deal as this would be another record signing for the club.
