Barca bid REJECTED for Dembele replacement

FT Desk

22 Aug 2023 13:15 BST
3 min read

Barcelona have suffered a setback in their quest to find a replacement for Ousmane Dembele.

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Dembele left Camp Nou for Paris Saint-Germain this summer after the French champions activated the forward's €50 million release clause.

And while the transfer helps alleviate the club's stuttering financial situation, it also leaves them short on options in the final third.

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As a result, Barca joined the growing list of suitors following the movements of Ajax star Mohammed Kudus, who has also been linked with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Brighton and West Ham in the current transfer window.

According to Sport, Ajax were contacted with an offer that included either a transfer with deferred payment or a loan with purchase option for the 23-year-old winger.

But Barca's bid fell short of what the Dutch giants were hoping to recoup on one of their star talents.

© ProShots - Kudus' Ajax exploits have not gone unnoticed

What will it take to sign Kudus?

Ajax value Kudus at over €40m, a figure beyond the Catalans' capabilities at the current time.

But the Ghana international could yet end up at Camp Nou in the near-future.

Barca have also held talks with the player's management team and hope to maintain a warm relationship with an eye to a future transfer.

Barca and Ajax also maintain a tight bond of cooperation historically when it comes to player movements, and the Liga side are convinced that Kudus has the technical and positional ability to become the latest Ajax graduate to thrive at Camp Nou if and when a transfer does take place.