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Football London
Football London
Sport
Louie Chandler

Barcelona fans make Ousmane Dembele feelings clear after transfer links to Chelsea and Arsenal

Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele has been booed at the Camp Nou after coming off the bench in their Europa League clash with Napoli, amid transfer links with Chelsea and Arsenal.

Both of the London clubs were linked with the Frenchman during the January transfer window with his contract set to expire at the end of the 2021/22 campaign.

He ultimately stayed in Catalonia, but he appears destined to play elsewhere in the future with Dembele's relationship with the club strained.

His agent, Moussa Sissoko, sparked a war of words with the club during January, claiming that the his client had not been properly managed since moving from Borussia Dortmund and stated that they were trying to pressure Dembele into a new deal.

Talking to RMC Sport, he said: "It's a stroke of pressure that doesn't work with people like us.

"Maybe it can work with agents who are close with Barcelona. It's not my case, I am here to defend the interests of my player.

"The truth must be told. Yes, we have demanding demands, but we have already shown that Ousmane's career choices are not dictated by money, otherwise he wouldn't be here.

"Then if Barcelona wanted to negotiate, he could have tried to come to the table with us to discuss. Except that there is no discussion and threats no longer work on their side. It's forbidden. We will assert Ousmane Dembele's rights if necessary."

With the scores level at 1-1 in the Camp Nou, Dembele was summoned by Xavi to replace Adama Traore, only to be met by noticeable boos, whistles and jeers from the home support.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel worked with Dembele when he broke through at Dortmund, but insists that there was no contact with the player in January.

"I did not have contact with Ousmane. There was no contact in winter," Tuchel told his press conference at the start of February.

But past reports claim that the player still favours a move to Stamford Bridge in the summer, despite links with Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal remaining active.

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