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Ousmane Dembele’s future at Barcelona continues to be the subject of much speculation, and the Catalan giants now believe the Frenchman is trying to find a way out.
According to Fernando Polo at Mundo Deportivo, the club “already know” Dembele does not want to renew his contract which expires in 2022. The Catalan giants also think the 23-year-old is “already looking” for a new destination.
Dembele was linked with a move to Manchester United in the summer, but the deal broke down as the Frenchman refused to sign a contract extension before heading to Old Trafford on loan.
The forward is “already talking” to Serie A champions Juventus about a move either next season or after his Barcelona contract expires, according to Catalunya Radio’s Xavi Campos.
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Dembele Trains on Barcelona’s Day Off
Dembele has looked impressive in training since the transfer window closed, and Barcelona have been happy to show off the forward in action at the Ciutat Esportiva.
The Frenchman certainly has his work cut out securing a place in Koeman’s starting XI this season. The Dutch coach has already admitted, in his last pre-match press conference, that Dembele is behind 17-year-old starlet Ansu Fati in the pecking order.
“We have a lot of competition in attack and a lot of quality. Dembélé can play on both sides, but we have many players to fit in. Ansu is ahead of Dembélé. If a player is unhappy, he can talk to me. But he has not spoken to me and I will be counting on him.”
The 23-year-old was at the training ground again on Thursday, along with Sergino Dest and Jordi Alba despite the team having been given some time off by manager Koeman, according to Sport.
Yet Dembele’s appearance at the training ground was not “voluntary,” according to Javi Miguel at AS. The forward had been instructed to make up the time after missing Monday’s session.
Dembele to Move in January?
Barcelona offloaded players such as Luis Suarez, Arturo Vidal, Nelson Semedo, and Ivan Rakitic in the summer window and more exits could follow in January. According to Pablo Polo at Marca, the club are planning more pay-cuts which could mean “some players might immediately look to leave the club in January.”
The Catalan giants are already being tipped to reignite their interest in Lyon forward Memphis Depay. A deadline-day deal for the Dutch star failed because Barcelona needed to offload Dembele first, but Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas thinks he will join in January.
“Today, he is disappointed, but not towards Lyon, more towards Barcelona. He is going to do everything he can to find himself in a position where he moves there in January.
“It is not up to me to make that decision, it is Juninho, in the same way that he has taken full responsibility for transfer situations with Vincent Ponsot. Rudi Garcia, he, fought with everything he had for Memphis to stay. I have not abandoned the idea of extending his contract (Depay’s), but as he has always said no, it looks difficult to do.”
Yet there is a lot of football to be played before the January transfer window, and Dembele does still have time to convince Koeman he can be a key player for Barcelona.
Koeman has only used Dembele once, as a substitute against Villarreal, in his first three games in charge, but a hectic fixture list means the Frenchman will surely come into the reckoning in the coming weeks.
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