Why Arsenal and Chelsea have renewed hope of Ousmane Dembele transfer

Robin Bairner

27 May 2022 12:17 BST
3 min read

Ousmane Dembele, Barcelona, 2021/22 — © ProShots

Arsenal and Chelsea’s hopes of landing Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele have been boosted with the news that PSG could be ready to pull out of the transfer race for the 25-year-old.

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PSG had been favourites to sign Dembele and reports in Spain even suggested that the player was ready to sign a contract.

However, this may not be the case after all, in what could be transformative news for the Premier League clubs who are tracking the France star. This is not necessarily restricted to the London duo either, with Manchester United and Newcastle both linked to him.

In response to claims from AS that Dembele is PSG bound, Le Parisien indicated that this is not the case. It claims that incoming PSG sporting director Luis Campos has vetoed any deal because of fears over the player’s injury record.

Indeed, this would be understandable given that Dembele has missed approximately 50% of Barcelona’s games this season and finished top La Liga assist maker despite his persistent physical concerns.

Le Parisien has been a reliable source with PSG news lately, notably overing Kylian Mbappe’s contract renewal with accuracy.

What is Dembele’s transfer status?

Ousmane Dembele playing against Benfica in the Champions League — © ProShots

Dembele is out of contract in the summer and will be a free agent after his contract expires on June 30. This makes him a highly attractive prospect given that there is no transfer fee attached to his services, although this could be offset by a high signing bonus.

Nevertheless, for clubs like Arsenal and Newcastle, the appeal is clear.

Agent Moussa Dembele has been tight-lipped over the player’s plans, stating: “Dembele’s future is still open and we will not enter into endless speculation. We are always respectful of all clubs and always will be. When it comes time to make the decision, Dembele will have to make the best decision for his future.”

Dembele has been embroiled in contract negotiations with Barcelona for much of the last year, with the negotiations turning bitter at times. As such, the prospects of his remaining at Camp Nou look limited.