FC Barcelona, Barca s Ousmane Dembele during Supercopa semifinal match. January 13, 2019. 20210113020
According to SPORT (h/t Metro), Manchester United are monitoring Ousmane Dembele and his situation at Barcelona. Dembele was linked with an exit from the Catalan club but ended up staying. He has had a good run of form this season and stayed relatively injury-free.
However, as SPORT (h/t Metro) can confirm, the club might have to sell him if he does not commit to fresh terms.
Amidst all the joy and fervour of Manchester United competing for the title after seven years, it is easy to forget that the side still has some notable deficiencies. One of which is rather long-standing. It has been close to a decade that Manchester United had a specialist right-sided forward in the team.
The club have tried a plethora of makeshift players in the hope that it works out. Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata, Daniel James, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood have all featured in that role. Only Greenwood looked half decent but the fact remains that he is more suited to the central role ever since his academy days.
The club chased Jadon Sancho with all they had but their efforts fell short of Dortmund’s valuation. The effect is visible as Manchester United look lopsided in their attack. Rashford looks uneasy in that role and Greenwood is having a bit of a cold patch. Adding a player to that position remains vital.
When Ousmane Dembele broke through at Dortmund, people knew he was a special talent. His uncanny ability to dribble past any defenders coupled with his ambipedal nature made him one of the most in-demand forwards in 2017. Barcelona went ahead and signed him for a gargantuan amount.
Since then, the Frenchman has struggled to stay fit on a consistent basis. Every season, he has been plagued with long-term injuries that have hampered his development. Nonetheless, the talent still remains as we have seen this season.
Despite the injury risk, Manchester United need to take a punt on Dembele. The 23-year-old can provide them with some legitimate threat down the right, something they desperately need to keep up their good form. While a deal looks unlikely during this transfer window, the club should test the waters next summer.