Manchester United in talks for Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele, new Jadon Sancho bid considered
Written by News on 30/09/2020
Manchester United are in talks with Barcelona over a loan deal for Ousmane Dembele, while the Premier League club are also considering an improved offer for Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho.
United are keen to sign a winger during this transfer window and, while their first choice is Sancho, Dembele represents a strong alternative.
The 23-year-old was a club-record signing for Barcelona when he arrived from Borussia Dortmund for €105m (£95.75m) in August 2017.
He has won two La Liga titles and the Copa del Rey during his three seasons in Spain, but has been restricted to 75 appearances in all competitions by a series of injuries.
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The France international is one of four alternative options United are working on if they are unable to sign Sancho, along with Watford’s Ismaila Sarr, Real Madrid’s Luka Jovic and free agent Edinson Cavani.
On Tuesday, United had a bid for Sancho worth up to £91.3m (€100m) rejected by Borussia Dortmund. The offer was for an initial £73m, rising to up to £91.3m, which fell short of Dortmund’s £108m valuation.
United are now considering whether to return with an improved bid for the England international.
Dortmund set United a deadline of August 10 to agree a deal for Sancho, and have stated on several occasions that the winger will not be leaving now that date has passed.
Sancho has not travelled with the rest of the Dortmund squad for the German Super Cup match against Bayern Munich on Wednesday due to a “respiratory infection”. He has tested negative for Covid-19.
If United do manage to sign a winger before Monday’s transfer deadline, it could have repercussions for Daniel James, who has played for just 45 minutes this season.
The 22-year-old was the subject of a loan offer from Leeds last week and, while he wants to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford, the arrival of another winger could lead to a reassessment of his future at the club.
‘Dembele a stopgap for Sancho’
Former Manchester United assistant manager Steve McClaren has told Sky Sports News that he thinks Dembele would only be a short-term option for his former club, until they are able to sign Sancho.
McClaren encouraged United to meet Dortmund’s asking price for Sancho, and also wants them to upgrade their defence, saying: “They need a centre-forward, they need a centre-back and they need a left-back. Those are the priorities.
“But players like Sancho don’t come around very often. He’s a unique type of player to go into Manchester United. They’ve been searching all across the world. They’re only £20m short – come on, get the deal done! It’s for the future.
“United have done well so far with their scouting and who they have brought in. If they’re still going for Sancho, then I think Dembele is for the short-term, a stopgap.
“But they need a centre-forward, and they need a centre-back. If they want to play with intensity and a high line, they need speed at the back.”
‘Dembele deal symptomatic of Man Utd scramble’
Sky Sports’ Jack Wilkinson:
A bluff to bring Borussia Dortmund to the table, or a genuine alternative for the season until efforts to sign Jadon Sancho can be renewed next summer, on or off the pitch, Ousmane Dembele could certainly do a job for Manchester United.
Dembele, a World Cup winner, undoubtedly comes with pedigree. Tasked with filling Neymar’s boots, the 23-year-old was once the second-most expensive signing in football history when he moved from Dortmund to the Camp Nou in 2017.
There was a promising start and glimpses of sheer brilliance, but with more time spent on the treatment table than on the field, it’s fair to say Dembele’s stint at Barcelona has fallen well short of expectation.
In a little over three seasons, Dembele has featured in just 52 La Liga matches for Barcelona, scoring just 12 goals. In the same period, since the start of the 2017/18 season, Sancho has made 80 appearances and 30 goals for Dembele’s former club Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
The numbers are stacked in Sancho’s favour and yet, as we enter the final week of the summer window, United are in talks with alternatives to their primary target.
United may not be solely to blame for the Sancho impasse, but a move for an injury-prone player who has made just a single, 20-minute appearance throughout 2020 is symptomatic of the now frantic scramble to bring signings to Old Trafford, however much sense they make.
Analysis: Man Utd have lost ability to do ‘dark arts of transfers’
Football writer Andy Mitten has been questioning Manchester United’s waning power in the transfer market and says they have lost the ability to do the “dark arts of transfers” with fans receiving “mixed messages” about the club’s financial position.
“It’s very frustrating for fans and they’ve seen just one player come in so far,” Mitten told Sky Sports News.
“I don’t think anyone has the same pulling power as Sir Alex Ferguson but to be fair to Ole, he’s been putting calls in and I know he’s spoken to several managers about players who he likes.”
Read the full article here.
Summer transfer window – key dates and times
The summer transfer window closes at 11pm on Monday, October 5 with a feast of activity lined up on Transfer Deadline Day on Sky Sports News and across our Sky Sports platforms.
A domestic-only window for deals between the Premier League and EFL then runs from October 5 and closes on Friday, October 16 at 5pm. Follow all the news and analysis on SSN and across Sky Sports‘ digital platforms, including with our dedicated Transfer Centre blog.
(c) Sky Sports 2020: Manchester United in talks for Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele, new Jadon Sancho bid considered
