EXCLUSIVE: Chelsea to hijack Dembele from Barcelona

Steve Kay

• Updated: 15 Jul 2023 12:13 BST
• 3 min read

Exclusive

Ousmane Dembele is under consideration from Chelsea amid the ongoing process of his contract renewal at Barcelona.

We are told that the Frenchman is admired by Mauricio Pochettino as the Argentine looks to rejig his front line ahead of the new season.

However, there has been no indication from Dembele that he would be willing to make a Premier League switch, while Barcelona are under no pressure to make a sale.

The former Borussia Dortmund is still very much in Xavi’s plans for the future.

Pochettino has a number of attacking targets this window but the feeling is that he may want to test the water for Dembele, whose contract is up in 2024.

We understand that Chelsea may look to entice the player by offering a longer, more lucrative contract.

Dembele has a €50 million release clause this summer and Barcelona are looking to increase that.

Former France striker Louis Saha said Dembele would be a fantastic signing by any club. He even had links to Saha's former club Manchester United.

What did Saha say about Dembele?

“They should explore it as it would be a bargain,” Saha told Betfred.

“I would want players that would be a guaranteed success for Manchester United and with Dembele, you’re going to get goals, you’re going to get assists but for me, he hasn’t reached his full potential and that’s frustrating to see.

“I see him as a potential wasted talent because the guy is so good and there’s no other player like him. When you look at the likes of Jadon Sancho and Ousmane competing with each other, then that’s magic competition there, oh my god. It would be a sensational frontline.”

Dembele joined Barcelona in 2017 from Borussia Dortmund in a €105m deal but has struggled for fitness during much of his time at Camp Nou.