Ousmane Dembele’s view on Chelsea offer emerges with Barcelona ready to scratch theirs

Chelsea's 2022-23 Premier League fixtures

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Chelsea target Ousmane Dembele is reportedly ‘disappointed’ at their contract offer because it is not significantly higher than Barcelona’s. The Blues were given a massive boost when it emerged that Barcelona could pull their offer off of the table with just days before the Frenchman’s deal expires but they now face a battle to convince him to move to Stamford Bridge.

Dembele is out of contract this summer after spending five seasons at the Nou Camp since his £105million move from Borussia Dortmund in 2017. The winger has been plagued by injuries in his time on Spain’s east coast, and a constant turnover of managers has seen him fall in and out of the side.

With his contract up at the start of July, Barcelona are still awaiting Dembele’s decision after standing firm on their final offer. Chelsea are keen to snap him up but Sport claim their salary offer to Dembele has been reduced due to their simultaneous swoop for Raheem Sterling.

And that has left Dembele somewhat underwhelmed as he expected Chelsea to offer him a much bigger financial package than Barcelona. The same report adds that Dembele could still be swayed by a large signing-on fee.

Despite Chelsea’s offer being lower than anticipated, it is still higher than Barcelona’s and the player is understood to be considering it. Barcelona also remain keen for Dembele to stay and believe the minimal difference in pay could persuade him to snub Chelsea as he is settled in Spain.

The report further states that a decision will be made in the coming days and that the player has already spoken with both Xavi and Thomas Tuchel. He had hoped that Barcelona would offer him more money to stay, but they refused to budge with the feeling that they offered the best deal in terms of career progression and playing time compared to financial power.

Both clubs have asked him to make a decision given the need to plan ahead of the new season, with the money potentially being used on other signings.

Chelsea have already lost Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen so far this window, highlighting a burning need to sign a centre-back over the summer.

Jules Kounde and Matthijs de Ligt are their two main targets with Tuchel eyeing up to six targets ahead of the new season.

Source: Read Full Article