What’s the story?
Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti has confirmed that the Catalans are interested in signing Borussia Dortmund’s Ousmane Dembele, with a reported bid in the region of €71 million likely to be made soon, according to reports in the Spanish press. In an interview with French newspaper L’Equipe, Umtiti confirmed Barca’s interest in his French national teammate, saying “We get on really well. I know Barça are interested in his profile, but all the parties need to reach an agreement.”
“Dembele would do well with us, with the quality he has he's capable of adding a lot. If he comes he will be welcome, but it still needs to be official to talk about that. If he comes, he can sleep at my house!”
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Previously
Barcelona wanted to sign Ousmane Dembele from Stade Rennes last summer, but he surprised everyone by opting to move to Borussia Dortmund, who got him for a relatively cheap 15 million fee, with the youngster signing a 5-year-contract. The reason behind his rejection of Barcelona was that Dembele did not view himself getting much first-team football alongside the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez. He did reportedly tell Barca sporting director, Robert Fernandez, that he would like to sign for the Blaugrana in the future.
The heart of the matter
Dembele has gone from strength to strength this season, arguably becoming Dortmund’s most important player. Equally adept on either foot, the Frenchman has torment Bundesliga defences with his dribbling and intelligent passing, thus racking up a staggering 10 goals and 21 assists this season in all competitions.
The 20-year-old’s form saw him voted into the Bundesliga Team of the Season, garnering an impressive 70% of the vote in his position. Barcelona are keen to lure him to the Nou Camp before his stock rises further, and are hopeful that a massive profit after only a season will tempt Dortmund into selling. Ernesto Valverde has noted that Barca are in need of better quality in the squad, with Robert Fernandez tasked with ensuring Dembele does not reject Barcelona for a second time.
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Author’s Take
Dembele is arguably the most exciting youngster on the planet, alongside fellow Frenchman Kylian Mbappe. If Barcelona do get him, they’ll get a serious upgrade on the likes of Arda Turan, Andre Gomes et al – with Dembele already proving his worth at the top level. Barcelona need this type of player to ensure that they do not suffer another disappointing season, and ought to go all out to make sure that the Frenchman, who can be considered a long-term successor to Neymar or even Messi, signs for them.
