Chelsea are closing in on former Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele, according to Adam Crafton of The Athletic. The club’s interest has been known, and now their pursuit is in full throttle. Dembele is set to leave Barcelona on a free transfer, meaning Chelsea would likely pay very little to secure his services.
It’s over. Ousmane Dembele’s entourage have rejected Barça’s renewal offer. Xavi has been planning next season without the player for 3 weeks now. @SiqueRodriguez#FCBlive pic.twitter.com/nay07KHf7f
— Razio Barca (@raziobarca) June 14, 2022
Chelsea Are Closing in on Ousmane Dembele
The Talent Remains
It’s not a stretch to say Dembele did not live up to expectations during his Barcelona tenure. The club desperately needed reinforcements after Neymar left to Paris Saint-Germain, and they eventually purchased Dembele for a reported fee of €105 million plus €40 million in add-ons from Borussia Dortmund.
Injuries played a common theme in slowing Dembele’s development with the Spanish giants. Last season, in limited time, he was still productive, however. In 21 La Liga matches, Dembele scored just one goal but provided 13 assists. His best scoring output came in the 2018/19 season, when he scored eight goals and provided four assists in 29 league matches. A lot more was expected out of the player, of course, as he was Neymar’s heir at Barcelona.
Securing a talent like Dembele for free may prove to be a shrewd move for Chelsea should the deal eventually go through. The talent is surely there should the player remain healthy.
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There may, however, be a logjam in Chelsea’s attack. As of now, the squad includes the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Timo Werner, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, and Hakim Ziyech. Other players, such as Mason Mount, can play in more advanced roles as well. It remains to be seen what Chelsea’s front line will look like next season.
