Reports: Real Madrid lead race to sign Barcelona's top target
What’s the story?
Borussia Dortmund star, Ousmane Dembele has reportedly lost his patience waiting for Barcelona and now favours a move to Real Madrid. Don Balon (via Daily Star) reports that Los Blancos are keen on signing him and see him as an alternative to AS Monaco's Kylian Mbappe.
Real Madrid have sold Alvaro Morata to Chelsea and despite Zidane reporting that he does not wish to sign any one as a replacement, the board wants to make a 'statement signing'.
Barcelona meanwhile are busy with the Neymar transfer saga. The Brazilian's £196 million worth release clause is reportedly set to be triggered by Paris Saint-Germain and the Catalan side will be helpless if that happens.
In case you didn’t know...
Barcelona were keeping tabs on Ousmane Dembele and were set to make a move for him. However, they were only eyeing the France international as an alternative to Philippe Coutinho this summer.
Valverde is more keen on signing Coutinho from Liverpool than anyone else right now. Marco Verratti was the main target so far but a move for the Italian is not going to happen as PSG are not willing to hold talks at all.
The heart of the matter
Zidane has set his sights on signing Dembele from Borussia Dortmund this summer. The Real Madrid manager is keen on signing him as Morata's replacement.
The manager also sees him as the cheaper alternative to Kylian Mbappe. The AS Monaco striker was Zidane's top target but Los Blancos are not willing to meet the Ligue 1 club's asking price.
Monaco are demanding €190m for Mbappe while Dembele is reportedly available for around €80m. Real Madrid have informed Dortmund of their intentions to sign the Frenchman according to reports.
What’s next?
Real Madrid will make their first bid for Dembele in the coming days. The Frenchman is ready to join them as he's not willing to wait for Barcelona anymore.
The striker, who can also play on the wings, is said to be keen on leaving Germany this summer and is keen on moving to Spain. Madrid now lead the race for him but expect Barcelona to make a late swoop if they fail to sign Coutinho.
Author’s Take
Dembele is one of the best youngsters in world football right now. Playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo will help him improve a lot and it won't be long before he makes it to the Ballon d'Or top 3!