Ousmane Dembele: Chelsea handed major boost as Barcelona consider their offer
Cameron Smith
- 25 Jun 2022 15:43 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona could take their contract offer to Ousmane Dembele off the table as the Frenchman nears the end of his current deal.
Dembele, 25, joined Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund in 2017, but will become a free agent when his contract expires on 30 June.
The Blaugrana offered him a fresh, new deal back in January, after Xavi had taken over from Ronald Koeman, but the France international is yet to accept it.
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As a result, clubs around Europe have been alerted to his availability on a free transfer this summer. Chelsea are reportedly at the top of this list, with the Blues' head coach Thomas Tuchel keen to be reunited with Dembele after the pair worked together at Dortmund.
Dembele hasn't shown any indications publicly that he would like to leave Barcelona, but the offer of a new deal at Camp Nou still exists, yet he hasn't agreed to new terms.
That has opened the door to Chelsea, who are hopeful of adding the 2018 World Cup winner to their forward ranks. The Blues will lose Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan on a season-long loan and could yet see departures for Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech.
Tuchel's side have also been linked with a move for Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling, who is reportedly set for a transfer away from the Premier League champions.
As for Dembele, the Frenchman notched up a league-high 13 assists in the Spanish top flight last season, edging out countryman Karim Benzema, who ended the campaign as the division's top goal-scorer.
Ousmane Dembele to lose his Barcelona contract offer?
Mundo Deportivo have reported that Barcelona aren't in favour of withdrawing the contract they offered Dembele at the start of 2022, but that is something that's under consideration.
The potential decision to retract their proposal to Dembele is "more to do with image than finances," according to the report. It's understood that sections of the Barcelona boardroom are in favour of taking the deal off the table, which could swing things Chelsea's way as they continue to pursue a move for the winger.
However, Barcelona will need to act fast as Dembele will no longer be contracted to the club in July and hence will be a free agent.
