Barcelona's pursuit of Borussia Dortmund forward Ousmane Dembele may have just been brought to a sudden halt, with the Bundesliga club setting an enormous asking price for the young Frenchman.
The 20-year-old has enjoyed a productive first season at Dortmund, making 49 appearances, scoring 10 goals and registering 18 assists. The former Rennes youngster also earned his first international cap, last season, making his debut during a 3-1 friendly victory over Italy.
His performances have also caught the eye of Barcelona, who have retained an interest in Dembele since he was at Rennes.
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A year ago, the Blaugrana were beaten to the France international's signature and they don't want to miss out on him again. However, the astronomical asking price the Copa Del Rey holders have been set may just mean they look elsewhere for new recruits, this summer.
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In order to ward off Barca's interest, Dortmund have demanded a fee of 89 million euros, just shy of the world record fee Manchester United paid Juventus for Paul Pogba's services, just under 12 months ago.
The 20-year-old has enjoyed a sensational start to life at Dortmund. Image: PA
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Whether the eye watering asking price will indeed deter Barca in their pursuit of Dembele is unclear, with new manager Ernesto Valverde looking to acquire all his transfer targets early ahead of a season in which the Catalan giants look to reclaim the La Liga title from Real Madrid and reassert their dominance over Europe, in the Champions League.
One thing that could work in Barca's favour is Dembele's friendship with defender Samuel Umtiti, who recently spoke to L'Equipe about his relationship with the Dortmund man.
"We get on really well.
"I know Barca are interested in his profile, but all the parties need to reach an agreement.
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"Dembele would do well with us, with the quality he has he's capable of adding a lot.
"If he comes he will be welcome, but it still needs to be official to talk about that.
"If he comes, he can sleep at my house!"
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Should Dortmund have their price met by Barca, they would be making a staggering 74 million euro profit on the 20-year-old, having signed him for just 15 million euros, last summer.
(H/T 101 Great Goals)
Topics: Football, Barcelona, Ousmane Dembele, Borussia Dortmund