Chelsea join PSG in race to sign 25-year-old Barcelona star - Reports
Premier League giants Chelsea are targetting Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele as a possible summer signing as they continue their search for an attacker, The Guardian reports. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are also monitoring Dembele's situation and see him as a potential replacement for Angel Di Maria, a report from Le10Sport claims.
Dembele, who will see his contract with Barcelona run out in June 2022, is yet to sign an extension with them.
Days after Neymar’s €222 million move to Paris Saint-Germain, the Blaugrana went for then-Borussia Dortmund’s budding starlet Ousmane Dembele. The Frenchman cost the club a whopping €140 million, but has failed to make the kind of impact many expected.
Suffering multiple injuries over the last five years, Dembele has only featured in 150 matches for the Catalan giants, recording 32 goals and 34 assists.
Chelsea want to open talks with Ousmane Dembélé over a potential free transfer this summer as soon as the takeover is complete.
🚨 Chelsea want to open talks with Ousmane Dembélé over a potential free transfer this summer as soon as the takeover is complete.
(Source: 90min) https://t.co/wCf7P5yCbe
The 2018 World Cup winner, however, recently turned a corner in Catalonia under Xavi, recording 13 La Liga assists since the former midfielder's appointment as manager of the club.
Impressed with his performances, Barcelona are open to extending the player's stay by a few more years. Dembele, however, is yet to green-light the extension, encouraging PSG to make a move.
But PSG are not alone in the hunt for the player’s signature. Chelsea have identified him as target, and Thomas Tuchel could reunite with the former Dortmund winger. Dembele is a player he has managed for 49 games in the past.
Due to a lack of 'consistency', Tuchel is supposedly interested in bolstering his team’s forward line ahead of the 2022-23 campaign.
Kylian Mbappe factor could help PSG beat Chelsea in race to sign Ousmane Dembele
Having secured Kylian Mbappe’s services for the next three years, Paris Saint-Germain now hope to find a suitable replacement for Angel Di Maria. Ousmane Dembele could prove to be the perfect candidate for it, more so because of the Kylian Mbappe factor.
As reported by journalist Sergio Santos (via Sport), Mbappe wishes to play alongside Dembele in Paris. It is also believed that it was 'one of the conditions' the the Frenchman would have made to extend his stay with the club.
French newspaper Le Parisien (via Sport), have claimed that Dembele's 'dream' would be to play alongside Mbappe at club level.
🚨🥇| Kylian Mbappe asked PSG for Ousmane Dembele and to let Neymar go, PSG are trying to find a way for Neymar’s exit. @Santos_Relevo
Considering how much the Parisians value the Frenchman, it would not be surprising if Dembele finds himself in Parisian colors next season.