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Barcelona president Joan Laporta has expressed his desire to retain the services of Ousmane Dembele amid interest from Premier League giants Manchester United and Chelsea. The former Borussia Dortmund player’s current contract with the Blaugrana runs out in June, meaning he is now allowed to negotiate with other clubs.
After failing to tie Ousmane Dembele down to a long-term contract, the Blaugrana decided to put the player up for sale in January. The forward reportedly attracted many suitors but ultimately decided to stay put in Catalonia, which put a strain on his relationship with the club.
Over the last few weeks, however, we have seen mutual signs of respect between the player and Barca. Xavi has used him frequently over the last few games and the France international has repaid his faith by pitching in with decisive performances.
Amid the blossoming relationship between the two parties, Barcelona president Laporta has extended an olive branch, hoping to retain his services beyond the summer. The 59-year-old has admitted that he wants to see Dembele extend his stay at the Camp Nou, urging him to reconsider Barca’s offer.
At the Mobile World Congress, Laporta said (via Sportsmole):
“Dembele knows our offer and that we have always wanted him to stay. We hope that at the end of the season he will reconsider it.”
Since his botched exit in January, Dembele has featured in three La Liga games for Barcelona, pitching in with one goal and three assists. The player scored a goal and provided two assists in his last league outing against Athletic Bilbao. His season-best performance helped the Catalonians to a 4-0 win at the Camp Nou.
Chelsea and Manchester United could both benefit from Barcelona right-winger’s services
Chelsea and Manchester United have no shortage of attackers, but not all of them have been firing on all cylinders this season. While Chelsea have had a hard time with Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku, Manchester United have struggled with Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford’s performances.
Signing Dembele for a substantial fee from Barcelona would have been a gamble for either club, as the Frenchman isn’t a direct replacement for their struggling forwards. However, as a free agent, the risk is a lot more contained.
At Chelsea, Dembele will be reunited with Thomas Tuchel - a coach he thrived under at Borussia Dortmund. At Manchester United, on the other hand, he would have the opportunity to become the team’s first-choice right-winger and link up with Jadon Sancho.
If he can keep himself fit, the 24-year-old could be a hit in the Premier League. However, given his newfound mojo at Barcelona, convincing him to come may not be as easy as it would’ve been in January.
