Arsenal have reportedly been offered the chance to sign Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele on loan after his move to Paris Saint-Germain collapsed yesterday.
Barcelona are eager to offload Dembele and his extreme wages as they continue to deal with the ramifications of financial mismanagement.
It was hoped PSG would take on the Frenchman, but after that move fell through, Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign him on loan, according to reports.
The rumour comes as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has touched down in Barcelona to push through a move to the Catalan giants, though both Arsenal and Barcelona were not expecting the former Gunners club captain to travel to the Nou Camp just yet.
According to the Independent, Barcelona have offered Dembele to Arsenal as part of a swap loan deal involving Aubameyang moving the other way. Aubameyang has high wages and Barcelona are keen to not blow up their wage structure by bringing him in without first shipping Dembele out.
James Olley of ESPN has reported that there is "little prospect of Dembele being included in any deal" and that Barcelona are having to get creative to fit Aubameyang's wages into their budget.
That report was corroborated by Fabrizio Romano, who claimed Dembele has "no interest in joining Arsenal".
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Dembele's Barcelona deal expires in the summer and he has said he would prefer to stay and play out the remaining six months.
His time at the club has been blighted by injuries, playing just 11 matches in all competitions this season. Still only 24, there is hope a move could revitalise his career, one that was thought to be set for stardom when he exploded onto the scene at Borussia Dortmund.
Whether a loan deal for Aubameyang - and Dembele - can be completed before the 11pm deadline remains to be seen, but Mikel Arteta is reportedly keen to offload the 32-year-old and Arsenal's squad depth is being tested with a raft of outgoings over the past month with not one signing yet.
They have a decision to make.
