Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Ousmane Dembele this summer.
The France international is out of contract at Barcelona within a few months and, as of now, there’s no extension looking probable.
According to The Transfer Window Podcast, Arsenal have already spoken to the Camp Nou attacker’s agent, with Mikel Arteta a massive admirer of the jet-heeled winger.
And now Fabrizio Romano has an interesting development, speaking on his Here We Go podcast.
The Italian revealed that the Spanish outfit have no intention of budging in their contract negotiations with the former Borussia Dortmund sensation, claiming their existing offer is ‘untouchable’ and not subject to change anytime soon.
He said: “From what I’m told the conditions [of extension] are untouchable. They [Barcelona] are not going to improve their conditions but they want Ousmane Dembele to stay. They still hope to change the situation. I’m sure Barcelona will try again. This is the feeling. They are not going to offer more than this.”
Good news for Arsenal?
Absolutely.
Going by Romano’s comments, the Camp Nou outfit have absolutely no intention of bowing to Dembele’s demands.
And considering we already know that the 24-year-old won’t submit either, a departure is looking very probable indeed.
Not that a transfer to Arsenal is guaranteed if he leaves Spain, but the fact that the Gunners have already spoken to his representatives is definitely a positive sign.
Dembele cost £135 million in 2017 [BBC Sport] and remains a massive prospect and one that would undeniably improve Arteta’s best XI going forward.
The Emirates Stadium side aren’t short of a few bob, considering they had Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang earning £350,000-a-week apiece at one point in North London.
Now that a transfer away from Barcelona is looking likely, this development is certainly interesting from an Arsenal perspective.
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