Manchester United and Juventus emerge as serious contenders to sign Ousmane Dembele | OneFootball

Ousmane Dembele’s future at Barcelona is up in the air. The Frenchman’s contract at Camp Nou expires this summer, and so far there’s not been any meaningful progress in negotiations.

According to a report in Football Italia, Manchester United and Juventus are two clubs monitoring the situation closely and would consider a move for the forward should he become available on a free transfer. Chelsea and Liverpool have also been credited with an interest, ready to capitalise on Barcelona’s financial plight.

Due to years of financial mismanagement, the club are unable to pay competitive rates when re-negotiating contracts with their higher-paid stars. It’s a situation that’s been exacerbated dramatically by the Coronavirus pandemic, and means agreeing a contract renewal with Dembele could be complex indeed.

United are thought to be the suitor in pole position. They’ve been in contact with the player’s entourage for some time, and came close to signing him on loan with an option to buy back in 2020 only for the deal to collapse when Dembele refused to extend his contract at Camp Nou before heading to Old Trafford.