Manchester United identified Ousmane Dembélé as an alternative to Jadon Sancho in the summer, but a deal never materialised because the 23-year-old wanted to fight for his place at Barcelona.
The winger has had prominence this season, playing 11 matches in all competitions and managing four goals and two assists in the process.
He is still on the Red Devils’ radar and last weekend, Mundo Deportivo reported the La Liga side are aware of United’s efforts to sign the World Cup winner.
The Frenchman’s current deal expires in 2022 and failure from the Catalan club to tie him down to a new deal will see him enter his final year of contract next summer.
Mundo Deportivo now explains Ronald Koeman’s side have long been handling the former Borussia Dortmund man’s renewal. Reports in England have talked about interest from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, and this is relayed in today’s Catalan paper.
Although the wideman says his desire is to continue, at Barca they know about his representatives having ‘contacts with United’ and the ‘stage is very open’.
The Blaugrana have held talks with the player’s camp over a new deal, and at the same time, Manchester United are ‘positioning themselves’ to sign the attacker in the winter market.
Dembélé is in no hurry because he’s aware time is on his side due to the duration left on his current deal.
Mundo adds the forward is reaching his best version, which is why Barcelona are hoping for a ‘big sale’ in January in order to fund other deals. However, Dembélé’s continuity at the club beyond the mid-season window is still ‘unknown’.
