Pranav Nair
Manchester United and Chelsea to battle it out for Ousmane Dembele
According to Spanish publication, SPORT (h/t Express), Manchester United and Chelsea are set to battle it out for Ousmane Dembele.
The 23-year-old is out of contract in 2022 and negotiations regarding an extension at Barcelona have hit a standstill. Given his potential, it is fair to say that he has underachieved at the Nou Camp.
The Frenchman joined Barcelona 2017 from Borussia Dortmund in a then club-record fee. While he has shown flashes of brilliance, a consistent run of form is yet to be achieved.
The 23-year-old winger was linked with a move to Manchester United last summer but chose to stay and fight for his place in the Barcelona starting XI instead of switching to Old Trafford.
Injuries and inconsistency have marred his time at Camp Nou, but new Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman seems to have put his trust in the young Frenchman (h/t Express)
The player’s situation has led to both United and Chelsea keeping tabs on him. While a move in January appears to be difficult, a summer switch appears more realistic.
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)
Depay the key?
Barcelona are keen to rid themselves of Dembele if he does not sign a new contract. Ironically a former United star could hold the key to that decision. Koeman is keen to bring Memphis Depay to the Nou Camp once his contract expires this summer at Lyon. (h/t Express)
The Catalan giants are keen to sell the player if they fail to reach an agreement by this summer. They have little choice given the player will be free to agree on a pre-contract with other suitors from next January.
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The Red Devils have a void to fill on the right flank and Dembele could be the perfect solution. However, his injury record continues to be a major worry.
While we have no qualms about us making a move to potentially sign him on a free in 2022, we are better off moving for someone who is physically more robust this time around.
