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What's the story?
Barcelona have not had the best of transfer windows, but things finally seem to be looking up after various reports in Spain and England claim that the Blaugrana have finally agreed a massive £140 million deal for Borussia Dortmund star Ousmane Dembele.
According to reports in The Guardian, the initial fee is believed to be £115 million with £25 million set to be paid in add ons. Dembele has been suspended by Borussia Dortmund since August 10th (ever since he missed a training session) and now things are finally set to come to an end with Dembele poised to become the second most expensive player in world football.
In case you didn't know...
Barcelona have been linked heavily with moves for both Dembele and Coutinho, but both Dortmund and Liverpool have so far refused to entertain any offers. Dortmund had initially refused a £90 million bid, but now with Barcelona turning their attention away from Coutinho and upping their offer, a deal seems to have finally been agreed between the two clubs.
The 20-year-old is talented, skilled and blessed with excellent technical skills and Valverde will be hoping that the Frenchman will be able to replace Neymar and guide Barcelona to the League title this season.
Also read: Barcelona star Rafinha reportedly agrees move to join AC Milan
The heart of the matter
Barcelona have been linked with plenty of top names across Europe, but they have only managed to sign Paulinho so far. The expected arrival of Dembele should please both the fans and the board as the Frenchman definitely has the potential to become a world class star in the future.
A direct replacement for Neymar, Dembele can slot in on the left wing and form a potent trio along with Suarez and Lionel Messi. The signing of Dembele might signal the end of Barca's pursuit of Coutinho and it will be interesting to see how Valverde's team will line up after the transfer window ends.
Also read: 10 best finishers in world football right now
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Dembele is certainly blessed with immense potential!
Author's take
While many might balk at the £140 million fee for a 20-year-old, in the current market, Dembele is the ideal player to replace the giant Neymar sized hole at Barcelona. Time is running out in the transfer window, and Barcelona's move to go all in for Dembele could prove to be a wise investment for the Catalan giants.
