The next couple of months could be crucial for Ousmane Dembele’s career.
Out injured yet again for Barcelona, the Catalan giants apparently want to tie him down to a new long-term deal to ward off the advances of any other interested parties.
One of those, according to Mundo Deportivo, is Manchester United, with the outlet reporting that, as of this moment, the player is still to sign on the dotted line at Barca.
Given that Dembele’s contract runs out next summer, he is free to talk to interested parties as from January 1, therefore it’s imperative that Joan Laporta and Xavi persuade the winger to put pen to paper as soon as possible.
On the face of it, you’d have to say that Dembele would be better off staying with his current employers.
He knows his role and would be an unquestionable starter, injuries depending.
At Man United, the likes of Jadon Sancho, Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford and others will all be competing for a wide berth, and it’s not a guarantee that Dembele would play ahead of any of those named.
Perhaps it will simply come down to money and who offers more.
For their part, Barcelona should maybe consider cutting their losses on a player who has fallen foul of Xavi’s new rules twice in less than a fortnight.