Liverpool have an almighty task on their hands to replace the potentially departing Sadio Mané this summer, but it would appear they have found the man they perceive to be ready for the job. Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele, a player Jurgen Klopp has long admired, could make the switch from Catalonia to Merseyside in the coming weeks.
According to Anfield Central, Liverpool are ready to pay the France international around £200,000 a week, making him one of the club’s top earners. Barcelona bought the winger from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 for £135 million but with Dembele out of contract this summer, Barça look like they will be taking a significant hit on the Frenchman.
It’s not the first time Klopp has tried to bring Dembele to Anfield. In 2016, prior to his move to Dortmund from Rennes, Liverpool were reportedly interested in the Frenchman. Now, however, with Dembele a free agent and Liverpool in need of a new attacker, the former Dortmund man could finally move to England’s North-West.
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Liverpool aren’t the only English side interested in signing the Barcelona man this summer. Dembele’s former coach from his days at Borussia Dortmund, Thomas Tuchel, is looking to reunite with the 25-year-old at Chelsea. It’s also not outside the realms of possibility that Dembele could stay at Barcelona with contract negotiations still ongoing.
How well suited Dembele would be to a side like Liverpool is another intriguing aspect of this transfer story. While he certainly has the talent to play for the Reds, his injury record is particularly worrying, having missed over 100 games for Barça since joining them, and the demanding Klopp system at Liverpool could leave Dembele exposed.
For the moment, reports suggest Dembele is more likely to make the move to Chelsea this summer rather than Liverpool. Any move for the Frenchman is a risk given the amount of time he’ll likely need to spend on the treatment table, and Dembele’s hefty wage demands.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Liverpool Transfer News & Rumours, Liverpool, Transfers, Ousmane Dembele