When Barcelona agreed to pay Borussia Dortmund a package worth nearly €150m for Ousmane Dembele, it seemed like a panic signing.
Sure, the youngster is talented, but the price looked way over the top. When paying the figure, it can be sure Barcelona expected more one goal and four assists by this stage of the season.
Dembele has struggled with injury issues but for some time there have been whispers in the Spanish media that all isn’t well and the 20 year old has been finding it hard to settle both on and off the pitch.
Don Balon today report Liverpool, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid want the player. It’s claimed that when Antoine Griezmann arrives at Barcelona in the summer, there’ll be no room for Dembele.
Barcelona would be looking at a loan or a permanent transfer with a buyback option, ideally. It can be bet Barca would want a fee with a headline figure of over €100m.
So if all these dominoes fall into place then it creates the opportunity for clubs to move for Dembele. Arsenal interest makes much more sense than that claimed from Liverpool.
Arsene Wenger would have the opportunity of letting Dembele team up with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang again, which could be appealing given the two still keep in touch.
It’s one worth keeping an eye on, because if Griezmann does move to Barcelona, as many in Spain believe he will, then it presents genuine questions for Dembele.