Manchester United prepared to sign Barcelona contract rebel Ousmane Dembele on one condition: Reports

The Red Devils are interested in signing Dembele
The Red Devils are interested in signing Dembele

Manchester United are reportedly plotting a move to sign Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele this month. The Frenchman is set to leave the club following a breakdown in contract renewal negotiations.

Dembele's contract is set to expire at the end of the season and Barcelona have reportedly told the winger to leave the club after he rejected their latest contract proposal. According to SPORT, Manchester United are willing to sign the winger this month but are not prepared to pay a transfer fee.

Barcelona are reportedly willing to part ways with Dembele for €20 million and have offered both Manchester United and Newcastle a chance to sign the Frenchman. However, the winger is expected to have multiple suitors this month, with the likes of Juventus, Chelsea and Bayern Munich all said to be interested in signing him.

Dembele has only made six league appearances this season and has provided two assists. The Frenchman has struggled with injuries throughout his tenure at the Catalan club, having made only 130 appearances across all competitions since joining the club in 2017.

Manchester United are looking to bolster their attacking options as the club expect Anthony Martial to depart this month. The Frenchman is reportedly frustrated with his lack of playing time under Rangnick and is pushing for a move away from the club. Spanish club Sevilla are reportedly interested in bringing in the forward on loan but the Red Devils are looking for a permanent deal.

"He and his agents have been told to leave the club" - Barcelona director demands Manchester United target Dembele to depart the club

Dembele in action for the Blaugrana
Dembele in action for the Blaugrana

Barcelona director of football Mateu Alemany insisted that Dembele should leave the club if he has no desire to commit his future to the Blaugrana. He said:

“We began conversations with Dembele’s agent in July. Six or seven months have already passed since then in which we have talked and Barcelona have made different offers. We have tried to find a way for the player to stay with us. Offers have been made that were systematically rejected by his agents. Now, eleven days before entering the final phase of his contract, the club understand that the player doesn’t want to renew and that he’s not committed to Barcelona’s project."
“He and his agents have been told to leave the club and seek a transfer before January 31st. The sporting situation assessed by our coaches is that we don’t want to have a player who isn’t comittee to the project. And not being selected is a consequence of this entire process. It’s not the club that should determine these things, it’s the coach. And he has our full support because it seems to us a totally coherent attitude."

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Edited by Adit Jaganathan