Reports: Manchester United have progressed in talks for Ousmane Dembele
According to the Daily Record, Manchester United have progressed talks with Barcelona over the signing of winger Ousmane Dembele. Dembele is reportedly valued by Barcelona at €100 million, and the club is only willing to sell him on a permanent deal.
Ousmane Dembele has had a torrid time at Barcelona since his €105 million move from Borussia Dortmund in 2017. He has suffered from numerous injuries and has been limited to just 51 appearances in his three years at the club.
However, Ousmane Dembele has shown glimpses of his brilliance in a Barcelona shirt and has the potential to excite fans and terrorize defenses. Dembele does have a horrendous injury record and fans will be skeptical as to how he will be able to cope with the physical demands of the English game.
Ousmane Dembele does fit the bill for the type of player Manchester United want at the club. He is young, fast, dual footed and has an eye for goal. The potential signing of Dembele, for a reported €100 million, would prove to be a panic buy for Manchester United, but given their current state, United might not have a choice.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer might have found his alternative to Jadon Sancho in Ousmane Dembele
Manchester United lost their first game of the 2020-21 Premier League season to Crystal Palace at Old Trafford. Manchester United's performance drew heavy criticism from football pundits, former players and fans, as the team failed to provide any threat going forward and were shambles in defense.
Manchester United have managed to make only one signing this summer in the form of Donny Van de Beek from Ajax for £40 million. Van de Beek is a midfielder but what Manchester Unite clearly needs is a new centre-back and more options in attack.
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer blamed his team's defeat on a lack of rest for his players after a gruelling 2019-20 season and a lack of a proper pre-season before the start of the 2020-21 campaign.
Solskjaer was also left to rue Manchester United inactivity in the transfer window, and said that the club may need to sign a few players if they want to challenge the top two.
Manchester United seemed to be moving in the right direction last season under the management of Solskjaer, finishing in third place in the Premier League table, and making it to the semi-finals of two cup competitions.
But United seems to have undone all that hard work by failing to provide Solskjaer with the funds required to sign players that will improve his squad.
The signing of Ousmane Dembele will not fix Manchester United's problems, nor will it make them contenders for the title, but it will provide some hope and positivity to fans who have been deprived of any good news all summer.