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Could Barcelona be set for a blockbuster end to the transfer window?
The Catalan giants are keen to strengthen before the window closes on October 5 but, as has been well-documented already, are also not in the best financial health.
Yet there is one big deal that could potentially go through, according to Santi Gimenez at AS. Barca are “very close” to selling Ousmane Dembele to Manchester United in a transfer which would then allow the Catalan giants to bring in Memphis Depay from Lyon.
The Frenchman is set to seal a move to Old Trafford for a fee of up to €60 million ($70m). The Catalan giants would then be able to finance a deal to bring in Depay who is a “priority target” of new manager Ronald Koeman.
Spanish journalist Francesc Aguilar adds that the Red Devils have moved for Dembele after failing to land Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund. Koeman is willing to let Dembele leave as he has Pedri, Ansu Fati, and Francisco Trincao as wide options.
Aguilar adds that Manchester United have “been trying to convince” Dembele to move to Old Trafford for some time and “in the end, they have succeeded.”
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Dembele Move Played Down
Yet it’s not as simple as all that. RAC1’s Gerard Romero has reported Manchester United are only considering a loan move, while Dembele has no intention of leaving the Camp Nou currently.
Yet Romero also points out that Barcelona do still need to offload players for financial reasons and also to reduce their wage bill. With less than a week remaining in the transfer window he claims “everything can happen.”
Dembele is fit again after recovering from hamstring surgery in February. He made his first La Liga appearance in almost a year on Sunday against Villarreal as a second-half substitute.
Barcelona Set For Hectic End to Transfer Window
It certainly seems that Barcelona are set for a hectic end to the transfer window. The Catalan giants have already offloaded several players including Arturo Vidal, Ivan Rakitic, Nelson Semedo, and Luis Suarez but are willing to let three more players leave, according to Joan Poqui at Mundo Deportivo.
Barca would be happy to wave goodbye to Jean-Clair Todibo, Rafinha, Samuel Umtiti, and Martin Braithwaite, while youngsters Carles Alena and Riqui Puig could head off on loan.
Meanwhile, Ajax full-back Sergino Dest is expected to arrive shortly, as Barcelona have agreed a fee of €20m ($23m) plus bonuses for the 19-year-old, according to Mike Verweij at De Telegraaf.
Barcelona also want to bring in Eric Garcia from Manchester City and a replacement for Suarez but further sales may be neded if they are to achieve all their aims in the coming days.
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