Ousmane Dembele looks likely to join Chelsea, according to reports in Spain. Liverpool are long-linked with the winger.
This comes from ABC in Spain. They claim that Ousmane Dembele is now incredibly close to joining Chelsea – 99% close, in fact.
Dembele looks almost certain to leave Barcelona as his contract expires at the end of the season. The 24-year-old was a record transfer for the club, of course, but their current financial situation makes an extension tricky.
The Frenchman wants a certain amount, Barcelona won’t offer it, and so he’s set to depart. Whether he remains on the books until the summer or not, Xavi supposedly won’t play Dembele. He’s done at the club, thus it makes sense for them to sell at any price right now.
They want around £18m on deadline day and Chelsea appear close to paying it. It would make some sense for the Blues as they’d get ahead of what will be a fierce race in the summer when Dembele doesn’t cost anything.
Ousmane Dembele to join Chelsea
Liverpool have been linked with Dembele for a long time now. Jurgen Klopp is supposedly a fan, prompting interest back in 2020, per Sport. That’s a claim Fabrizio Romano backs up.
Reports from the likes of 90min claim Liverpool held interest right now, too. Or at least, they did entering January.
After all, how many transfers carry such an upside? Dembele has enormous talent and if any club fancies they’re a better fit than Barcelona, they could sign world-class talent for free.
But things have changed in recent days. Liverpool signed Luis Diaz from Porto, filling any room Dembele could possibly take. The Colombian is the big attacking signing and one that rules out the Frenchman being a fit for Anfield.
Hopefully, Liverpool called this one right. If Dembele does join Chelsea, there’s a chance they’re signing that elite talent who could explode as he did at Dortmund. There’s also a chance that Dembele is the same kind of player we’ve seen at Barcelona, the one the Reds passed on.
Time will tell if Liverpool judged this one right.
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