Chelsea prepare improved offer for Ousmane Dembele

Chelsea are reportedly ready to improve the terms of their offer for Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele.

According to Fichajes, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is eager to add Ousmane Dembele to their squad ahead of the 2022/23 season and has requested the club to complete his signing. Dembele’s contract with Barcelona expires this summer, and the two parties have not agreed on terms of a renewal.

Dembele was put on sale by Barcelona in the January transfer window, after four and a half underwhelming seasons with the Blaugrana. But the French forward reportedly turned down the chance to move to the Premier League in the winter transfer window and stayed put at Camp Nou. However, Chelsea are now confident of striking a deal.

Dembele has seen an upturn in form under Xavi and finished the La Liga season with a goal and 13 assists, the most in the league this term. 12 of his 13 assists came after January as Dembele emerged as their most creative player, adding another dimension to their attacks as Barcelona managed a second-place finish to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League.

Barcelona approached the 25-year-old with improved offers, but Dembele was not to be convinced and now looks set for an exit. Chelsea have emerged as the likeliest destination, while the likes of Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain are monitoring his situation at Barcelona as well.

The Blues could lose some of their forwards this summer, with Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner getting linked with possible exits. Though it is unlikely that all three will leave, Chelsea are already lining up replacements, and Dembele is one of them.

Tuchel is a big admirer of the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner, having managed the player during their time at Borussia Dortmund. The German believes Dembele would vastly improve Chelsea’s frontline and has thus made him his ‘number one’ target. The Barcelona forward will be available on a free transfer which could allow the Londoners to invest their transfer war chest in other areas.

Also Read: Three potential Ousmane Dembele replacements for Barcelona

This season, Chelsea finished third in the Premier League and failed to defend their Champions League title, bowing out in the quarter-finals to eventual champions Real Madrid. Chelsea are preparing for a mass exodus this summer and could be set for an overhaul under new owners, and Dembele could be a part of that.