Chelsea’s pursuit of Ousmane Dembele is said to have hit a stumbling block over his wages demands, according to reports.
The French international is set to depart Barcelona this summer at the end of his contract, leaving the Nou Camp after five seasons at the La Liga outfit.
Dembele has been linked with a move to Chelsea this summer as a result, with the 25-year-old previously working with Thomas Tuchel during their season together at Borussia Dortmund.
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However while the Blues may be showing interest in signing the winger ahead of next season, it appears as though they may have hit a stumbling block.
According to The Sun, Dembele’s wages are being considered to be ‘a tough obstacle to overcome’.
He is on the club’s list of potential signings for the transfer window, but it seems as though they will have to find a solution in regards to his wages in order to seal his signature.
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It is also believed that the player would not want to be part of the ‘squad rotation policy’ at Chelsea should he join.
Previous reports have also revealed that Dembele wants to stay at Barcelona beyond the summer, with his current side already offering him a new contract at the club.
His entourage have said: “Dembele wants to stay because the coach loves him, the player feels happy in Barcelona and is used to it.
"He is in his prime years, hence, the club's offer should not be far from the other offers we have."
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Although Dembele may now not be a viable option for the Blues this summer, Tuchel’s side could switch their attention to signing Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling.
The 27-year-old has just one year left on his contract at the club, and is believed to be keen to resolve his future within the next two weeks.
His arrival at Stamford Bridge could soon be a possibility with the departure of Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan on a loan deal, although the two moves are not believed to be linked with each other.
Sterling is heading into the summer window off the back of his fourth Premier League title with City, with the blue half of Manchester finishing just one point ahead of his former side Liverpool.
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The winger is already said to have asked about what life is like at Chelsea, as well as the management style of Tuchel amid a potential move.
Topics: Ousmane Dembele, Chelsea, Chelsea Transfer News & Rumours, Football, Transfers
Robert Calcutt