Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele could be on the way to Arsenal this summer, according to some pretty optimistic reports in the English media.
Sky Sports analyse a rumour started by the Express, claiming the 21-year-old could already be on the move again, just a year after joining the Catalan club.
The reports point out that Arsenal’s transfer budget puts Dembele well out of their reach. He moved to Barcelona for a reported £92m plus £35m add-ons, and has a £350m buyout clause. However, various rumours in Spain suggest the club would consider loaning their young star.
If Barcelona were going to loan Dembele anywhere, Arsenal would surely be high up the list. The clubs have a connection at the top through Raul Sanllehi, who currently runs negotiations for the Gunners after joining from Barca.
Arsenal would probably be able to offer the winger a lot of game time, since they lack natural wide players. They also play a similar style of football to the La Liga champions.
Personally, I think Dembele’s performances at the end of last season, and his World Cup call up, will probably earn him chances in Barcelona’s first team next season. We’ll have to wait and see to know for sure.