Back in January, Ousmane Dembele found himself in the spotlight at Barcelona, with Arsenal and Tottenham trying to sign him.
Now, there has been a sad development regarding the £135.5m man’s situation at the Camp Nou.
What’s the story?
Well, Dembele’s contract expires in June, and after failing to agree a new deal with the Frenchman, Barcelona lost patience.
Mateu Alemany – Director of Football at Barcelona – told the 24-year-old to “leave immediately” in January.
After he refused to do so, Barcelona President Joan Laporta said the winger’s refusal to depart made “no sense” to him.
Now, during Sunday’s 4-2 win over Atlético Madrid, Dembele was booed and whistled by supporters when his name was read out before kick-off.
It was Tutto Mercato Web who claimed that Tottenham wanted Dembele, whereas Arsenal’s interest was revealed by Ian McGarry, speaking on The Transfer Window Podcast.
Arsenal and Tottenham should make a move now
Clearly, Dembele’s situation at Barcelona has turned toxic.
It seems highly unlikely that a new contract will be agreed with the Spanish giants, and a free transfer looks set to happen in June.
Dembele is a wonderfully gifted footballer, and we presume there will be a queue of clubs waiting to sign him.
In that respect, if Arsenal and Tottenham remain interested, they should consider making a pre-contract offer in order to avoid a battle this summer.
Clubs can approach the Frenchman now as a result of his contract situation.
Keep an eye on this saga, as there could still be many twists between now and June.
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