PSG reportedly interested in Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembélé

Ousmane Dembélé has reportedly caught the eye of Paris Saint-Germain as news broke on Friday that the Ligue 1 champions were set to make an offer for the winger.

However, those reports may have been premature as more news broke stating that while Dembélé is indeed a player that PSG are interested in, there has been no formal offer made to the player or Barcelona.

In addition, his potential arrival would not be as a replacement for Kylian Mbappé.

There is a clause in Dembélé’s contract where his release clause is set at €50 million until July 31. It’s also important to state that should Barcelona sell him before that date, the fee would be split between the club and player. Therefore, both sides would get €25 million.

After July 31, however, his release clause rises to €100 million.

What would make the move a bit of a surprise is Barcelona have been working on an extension for Dembélé with Dembélé himself keen on extending his stay.

Dembélé appears to be a player Xavi Hernandez has a lot of confidence in despite his inconsistent performances and time spent on the sidelines through injury.

While Dembélé could potentially be a significant departure, it’s at least an option Barcelona would need to consider. Getting his wages off the books would be a boost and could use the funds to strengthen other areas on the pitch.

It would also alleviate a bit of a log jam up front. The likes of Raphinha, Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres and Abde Ezzalzouli are also fighting for a place in the starting line-up. If Xavi decides to play with four midfielders instead of the usual 4-3-3, then there is only one spot for five players with Raphinha the likely candidate to partner Robert Lewandowski.

Even if a formal offer has yet to be sent, it’s reasonable to expect PSG to send an offer sooner rather than later. If and when one is sent, Barcelona will have to seriously consider the pros and cons of keeping Dembélé.