Barcelona send an ultimatum to Ousmane Dembele amidst Liverpool and Man United interest
According to the Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo (h/t International Business Times), Barcelona have sent an ultimatum to Ousmane Dembele regarding a contract renewal amidst interest from Liverpool and Manchester United.
The Catalan giants have prepared a deadline for the Frenchman penning a new deal. With his contract expiring next summer, Barcelona are facing a race against time to convince the player to stay put.
Dembele is free to agree to a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs from January. His agent, Moussa Sissoko, is stalling the talks Barcelona. This has caused the Spanish club to suspect that he is fishing for better offers from other clubs.
Having bought the winger for $131 million from Borussia Dortmund in 2017, it is understandable why the Blaugrana club feels frustrated about his situation. The Catalans have asked him to make a decision by December 15, ahead of the January transfer window.
That could be because they would not want to lose him on a free and thus try to earn some money by offloading him during the winter transfer window. Just how much they are seeking to recoup remains to be seen.
According to Teamtalk (h/t International Business Times), Liverpool will face competition from Manchester United and Newcastle United for the 24-year-old’s services. The 24-year-old could be a shrewd signing, especially if his injury woes are behind him.
A shrewd signing?
The France international has struggled with injuries since his move to Camp Nou, which may concern some within the fanbase. Looking at his injury history, he has not missed any games at his previous clubs, which points the finger towards the La Liga team rather than the player.
He has featured in 121 matches and has scored 30 goals and made 21 assists during his time in Spain. For someone who has struggled to keep his fitness, his goal output is solid, showcasing his undoubted quality.
The Barca ace is still in the early stages of his career, meaning that we could help him regain his past fitness under the guidance of Jurgen Klopp. Our attacking depth is concerning as Takumi Minamino and Divock Origi lack the gravitas to step in for our fabled front three.
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While Diogo Jota has proven himself at Liverpool, there is no other player who can act as a backup for Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. Dembele meanwhile can play on both wings and is equally strong with either foot.
Mane and Salah could also miss some games due to the African Cup of Nations, and securing Dembele in January could help us negate that to an extent.
