Chelsea to battle Manchester United for Barcelona superstar - Reports

Chelsea have reportedly joined the race to sign French forward Ousmane Dembele from Barcelona in the summer. The Blues will face stiff competition from Manchester United, who are ready to resume their pursuit of the winger once the transfer window opens.

According to Sport, there are doubts over Dembele's future at Barcelona, despite manager Ronald Koeman being reportedly keen to keep hold of the Frenchman.

With just one year remaining on the 23-year-old's current contract, Barcelona could be forced to sell him in the summer if he does not extend his deal with the club.

Chelsea are rumored to be monitoring Dembele's contract situation at Barcelona. The Blues believe Dembele could be the ideal replacement for Eden Hazard, who left the club to join Real Madrid in 2019.

Since Hazard's departure, the Blues have signed the likes of Christian Pulisic, Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, and Hakim Ziyech. The aforementioned players have struggled to cope with the demands of the Premier League, showing inconsistency since joining the club.

Chelsea have shown vast improvements since Thomas Tuchel took over the reins. The Blues have managed to keep 11 clean sheets in just 14 games under the management of the German.

Chelsea's attack, however, continues to be a source of concern for the former Borussia Dortmund coach. Tuchel could therefore look to undergo a squad revamp in the summer and he is likely to target the signing of a top quality forward.

Manchester United were close to signing Ousmane Dembele from Barcelona last summer. The Red Devils had reportedly agreed a fee for the France international, but Dembele rejected the move at the 11th hour.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is likely to pursue Dembele's signature once more as he continues to lack faith in the likes of Anthony Martial and Daniel James.

Ousmane Dembélé only thinks about continuing at Barcelona, despite having offers. [md] pic.twitter.com/LhMY3cxWvP

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) April 7, 2021

Signing Ousmane Dembele could be a risk for Chelsea and Manchester United

FC Barcelona v SD Huesca - La Liga Santander

Despite being widely regarded as one of the most talented youngsters in world football, signing Ousmane Dembele could prove to be a massive risk for Chelsea or Manchester United.

The Frenchman has suffered numerous injuries over the last couple of seasons, which has limited him to just 110 appearances in all competitions in four years for Barcelona.

Koeman: "I would like Ousmane Dembélé to stay”. Barcelona are set to open negotiations and offer him a new contract - one of Laporta’s priorities.Many clubs are interested in Dembele if an agreement will not reached. But Barça will push in the next weeks. 🔴 #FCB @HagridFCB

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 5, 2021

Dembele has also faced a number of disciplinary issues off the field while at Barcelona, which could prove to be a source of concern for any potential suitors.