Borussia Dortmund’s reluctance to let Jadon Sancho leave has forced Manchester United to look at other options to strengthen their wide positions.
Ousmane Dembélé has been linked with a move to Old Trafford in the past few days, and Mundo Deportivo reported on Friday that Paul Pogba has contacted his compatriot to convince him to join the Red Devils.
Later that day, multiple reports coming out of Spain and France suggested the 23-year-old is open to the idea of leaving the Camp Nou after failing to start in Barca’s first two matches of this season.
Ronald Koeman has suggested other players can contribute more than the Frenchman defensively, which is why he prefers the likes of Pedri and Francisco Trincão ahead of the ex-Borussia Dortmund man.
However, the winger’s potential exit was dismissed by Barca technical secretary Ramón Planes on Friday.
Planes’ comments don’t mean Dembélé cannot leave before the window closes on Monday, claims today’s edition of Mundo Deportivo.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side ‘maintain interest’ in the player, and are ‘still looking for the formula’ to take him to the Premier League.
United would prefer to take him on a loan deal with an obligation to buy. The Catalan club, as reported earlier, are looking for a sale as they want to recover a large portion of money invested in his signing in 2017.
Journalist Miguel Rico also explains that negotiations are ‘still open’ between ‘United-Dembélé-Barca’.
He explains the ‘movements are still active’ as the English club ‘maintain close contact’ with Dembélé. United have also made him aware he could be a starter under Solskjaer, if he joins them, but his salary is reportedly creating a problem for the Premier League side.
A potential deal, however, remains complicated, mainly because neither the player nor Josep Maria Bartomeu will accept a loan move to Old Trafford.
Rico insinuates that Koeman wouldn’t stop Dembélé from joining United at the last minute, if it means that his exit could help the manager sign Lyon’s Memphis Depay.
