Barcelona are now open to reported Tottenham Hotspur target Ousmane Dembele leaving the Camp Nou in the January transfer window on loan after he rejected a new contract.
That’s according to The Sun, who report Chelsea have now entered the race for the France forward. Thomas Tuchel’s Blues are considering rivalling a host of clubs to sign Dembele as the Blaugrana long for his exit.
The 2018 World Cup winner only has five-months left on his contract in Catalunya after he turned down their proposal. The La Liga giants are now desperate for Dembele to leave the club this month and avoid his exit as a free agent.
Barcelona CEO Mateu Alemany has publicly urged Dembele to agree a January transfer, as well. The Camp Nou natives made several proposals for new terms, but the winger’s agent returned each to sender.
Head coach Xavi Hernandez is also furious with Dembele for his refusal to sign a new deal. So much so, the Blaugrana icon removed him from their squad for Thursday’s Copa del Rey defeat at Athletic Bilbao.
Chelsea are now studying a move to sign Dembele from Barcelona, with Newcastle United also interested. The sixth-place La Liga outfit would even consider loaning the 24-year-old out for the rest of the season for £3m.
Tottenham offered £3m chance to sign Barcelona winger Dembele
Dembele may accept leaving Barcelona in the January transfer window, amid interest from Tottenham, if his move is temporary to keep his options open for when he is a free agent.
The forward will likely stand a greater chance of securing his desired salary if he leaves the Camp Nou unattached. Foot Mercato reported he wanted a €40m-a-year (£643-a/w) gross wage, on top of a €40m (£33.5m) signing on bonus, from Barcelona to pen a new contract.
Rival clubs may baulk at those demands with Barcelona wanting €20m (£16.5m) to sell him this month, per Sport. So, Fabio Paratici – who TuttoMercatoWEB note considers Dembele his ‘dream’ January transfer target – may be more fond of sealing a loan from Barcelona.
Paratici can then hand Antonio Conte a forward – who former Liverpool star Jose Enrique has called ‘world-class’ – for the rest of the season he may convince to join permanently.
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