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It appears as though Ousmane Dembele's immensely frustrating spell at Barcelona is finally coming to an end. In a fiery statement issued on Thursday, the club's director of football, Mateu Almany, revealed that the French winger is likely to be sold before the end of January.
"We have made different offers and have tried to find a way for him [Dembele] to continue with us. These offers have been systematically rejected by his agents. It seems obvious to us that he does not want to continue at Barcelona and is not committed to our future project. He and his agent have been told that he must leave immediately and we expect a transfer before January 31," said Alemany.
Ousmane Dembele joined Blaugrana from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 for a staggering £126million fee. In what will go down as one of the worst transfers in modern football, he has endured an injury-prone spell with the Catalan club, which has been punctuated by off-field controversies.
The Frenchman has made 129 appearances in which he has scored 31 goals and provided 23 assists. Dembele has failed to register double-digit goals or assists in the league since joining the Spanish giants and has incredibly missed over 100 games due to various injuries.
Could Ousmane Dembele make his way to the Premier League this month?
According to Fabrizio Romano, the winger already has offers from two Premier League clubs regarding a summer transfer. It is important to note that Dembele is out of contract at the end of the ongoing season. As a result, Barcelona will welcome a cut-price deal in the winter window rather than risk losing him for free six months later.
The French international's wage demands could also throw a spanner in the works. He currently takes home £210,000-per-week and was reportedly looking for a salary hike during his recent negotiations with Blaugrana.
Here are five clubs that could benefit the talented but inconsistent French star in the next couple of weeks.
#5 Newcastle United
The Magpies are among the few clubs who can match Dembele's wage demands and Barcelona's asking price without a second thought. Following the recent takeover by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, Newcastle have already spent £37million to bring Chris Wood and Kieran Trippier to St. James' Park.
The Barcelona star, though, will not be thrilled at the prospect of leaving one of the world's biggest clubs to join a relegation battle. With one win in 20 league games, Newcastle are currently 19th in the table and survival is looking increasingly out of their reach with each passing week.
The last thing the Magpies need is another injury-prone forward. Similarly, the idea of spending his prime years playing in the EFL Championship next season is probably a dealbreaker for the 24-year-old winger. All things considered, this is a deal that is unlikely to go through.
#4 Manchester United
The Red Devils are another side who have the resources to match Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona's demands. Manchester United are set to offload Paul Pogba, Donny van de Beek, Jesse Lingard and perhaps even Edinson Cavani's salaries from their wage bill by the end of the season.
On paper, this signing makes sense. Despite splurging exorbitant amounts into the transfer market, United are somehow still without a traditional right winger. Dembele offers an intriguing solution to one of the longest-standing problems at Old Trafford.
However, there are numerous questions that need answering first and perhaps a January move would come too soon for the club. Is it worth signing the Barcelona forward at the cost of 20-year-old Mason Greenwood's playing time? Will £77million man Jadon Sancho eventually operate on the right? Will Cristiano Ronaldo leave in the summer, allowing Greenwood and Rashford to play through the middle?
The Frenchman has been strongly linked with Manchester United for a couple of years now. But the Red Devils would be better off trying to coax the best out of the misfiring Jadon Sancho before adding yet another forward to the mix.
#3 Liverpool
Ousmane Dembele has also been linked with Liverpool in recent months, although it is unclear whether the Merseyside club's interest in the winger is serious. Under the ownership of Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool have been notoriously thrifty in the transfer market. The Reds' expenditure is just a fraction of the large amounts splurged by the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City.
Nonetheless, recent reports suggest Liverpool are in the market for a new forward. The Reds' attack looks thin in the absence of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, who are both approaching their thirties. Signing Dembele on a cut-price deal would be a clever piece of business but his wages could prove to be an obstacle, especially with Salah's contract up for renewal soon.
Dembele's time with Borussia Dortmund suggests he might be able to flourish under Jurgen Klopp's tutelage. However, the winger's infamously problematic hamstrings may not be able to cope with the German manager's intense and physically demanding approach.
#2 Chelsea
It would not be a surprise to see Ousmane Dembele and Thomas Tuchel join forces again. The French winger enjoyed what remains the best season of his career so far under the German coach at Borussia Dortmund during the 2016-17 campaign. Dembele scored 10 goals and provided 21 assists in 49 appearances that year and has yet to match that output since.
Meanwhile, Tuchel's Chelsea are currently in all sorts of trouble. The defense, which looked impenetrable a few months ago, is now in tatters. The Blues also cannot seem to buy a goal at the moment.
Havertz, Pulisic, Ziyech, Werner and Lukaku, who cost Chelsea just under £300million between them, have combined to score a paltry 13 goals this season. The Blues, who were leading the Premier League table in early October, are now third.
Tuchel's side could even drop to fourth if Tottenham Hotspur win all four of their games in hand. Spurs are unbeaten in the league since Conte's arrival while West Ham United could move within four points of Chelsea if Moyes' side win their game in hand.
Chelsea desperately need a spark in attack and might be tempted into gambling on Barcelona's wantaway star.
#1 Paris Saint-Germain
A return home to France could be the best possible option for Ousmane Dembele. Despite PSG's recent optimism regarding a contract extension, Kylian Mbappe is still very likely to leave Paris on a free transfer at the end of the ongoing season.
Dembele, who is excellent with both feet, could slot right in and replace PSG's own unsettled star. Ligue 1's relatively open style of play would also suit the 24-year-old's quick and direct approach.
PSG's spending power is well documented and there is no question the club will be able to offer the Barcelona winger a lucrative contract and lots of playing time. The move appears to make sense for all parties involved, although it hinges on Mbappe's departure at the end of the season.
