Rijo Sam Daniel
Manchester United tracking contract situation of Ousmane Dembele amidst Barcelona concerns
According to Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo (h/t The Express), Manchester United have been tracking the contract situation of Ousmane Dembele amidst concerns from Barcelona. He had a difficult time since moving to Camp Nou, having suffered from constant injuries.
Barcelona have offered Dembele a new contract and have maintained a positive attitude towards the player to sign the deal. He has hinted towards a stay at the club, but there has been no response from his camp since the offer was put on the table. They are ‘fed up’ with the situation and have set a deadline for a final answer.
Christmas Day has been marked as the deadline, although an answer would be taken into consideration until Boxing Day. The 24-year-old’s contract is up at the end of the 2021-22 season, meaning he could join Man United as a free agent if he wants to next year.
It also means that a pre-contract agreement can legally be reached between United and the Frenchman from next year onwards. Things would not be easy as Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are keeping tabs on the situation that is unravelling at Camp Nou regarding the former Borussia Dortmund winger.
Would he suit us?
One could say that there is no need for us to chase after the Barca forward. Ralf Rangnick has utilised a 4-2-2-2 system after he had taken a look at the squad, which does not require the services of a winger. Players like Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood have been pushed to the striking position to compete for a place.
Jadon Sancho has been moved to the number ten spot alongside Bruno Fernandes, but that does suit him due to his profile. The France international is a creative winger just like Sancho, meaning there would not be many spots left to guarantee sufficient minutes for a player like him.
But then again, there is no one to say that Rangnick would stick with this system forever and that Dembele can’t be utilized in his system. A player who is good with both his feet, Dembele is a versatile attacker who can slot on either wing. His injury issues aside, he is still of a great age profile when it comes to signing an exciting player with the long-term picture in mind.
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The prospect of signing the La Liga winger is exciting to think about for a potential transfer. However, incomings should always be made after considering what the manager wants and whether he would suit the team. Hence his possible transfer to Old Trafford should be taken into consideration with great care as we would not want to sign a player who has no place in the system.
We do have another young winger in Amad Diallo, who came amid much hype earlier this January. Anthony Elanga is on the brink of a first-team breakthrough while Sancho is just getting started. While Dembele would be a useful addition to the frontline, we are better off focusing on areas that need strengthening, such as central midfield.
