Ousmane Dembele is reportedly close to joining Chelsea, having rejected a deal to Paris Saint-Germain.
The 25-year-old Frenchman is set to become a free agent this summer when his contract with Barcelona expires, and he has been considering offers from a number of clubs around Europe.
Chelsea appeared as the apparent frontrunner to sign Dembele from the start, with the idea of working with Thomas Tuchel being appealing, considering Dembele’s previous experience with the Blues boss at Borussia Dortmund.
Thomas Tuchel coached Ousmane Dembele at Dortmund
PSG and Liverpool were both interested in the winger after it was revealed that Sadio Mane could depart Anfield this summer. Other clubs were able to enter the race because of the uncertainty surrounding Chelsea’s ownership, as they were unable to acquire players until Todd Boehly completed the takeover last week.
Dembele was said to be prepared to wait until that was confirmed before making a decision. Dembele’s representative, Moussa Sissoko, said last week that his client is still considering his options as he prepares to leave the Nou Camp.
He stated, “Ousmane’s future remains open. We are and have always been very respectful to all clubs and this will continue to be the case while the process is ongoing. When it is the right time to make a decision, Ousmane will consider the best option for his future.”
According to Spanish website Mundo Deportivo, Dembele was on the verge of signing a contract with Chelsea. TalkSPORT backed up this assertion, claiming that the sale ‘took off’ once Boehly was named as the new owner. And now, according to Le10sport, Dembele has decided to stay with Chelsea and refuse a move to PSG.
Tuchel acknowledged that it has been a trying moment for Chelsea since they haven’t been able to go all out in terms of recruitment, especially given the need for a major redevelopment at Stamford Bridge.
He stated: “You can always end up in a situation where players at the end of the season can have talks with other clubs, have different ideas and maybe get distracted because they sign for other teams. It happens.
“It’s a bit easier if you are also free to act and be more involved in the talks. Now it feels like we are spectators of the development, we don’t like. It’s a passive role and a bit strange. You can feel it.
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