Ousmane Dembele delayed making a decision on his future so that Chelsea could complete their takeover.
Todd Boehly's consortium completed a £4.25billion deal to buy the Blues on Monday, which means he is now expected to push for A-list signings to mark a new era at Stamford Bridge, according to the Daily Mail. It's also claimed by The Telegraph that Thomas Tuchel is set to have £200m at his disposal to strengthen his side this summer, factoring in player sales.
One player who has been targeted is Barcelona star Dembele, who is set to leave the Nou Camp as a free agent. The Frenchman is reportedly on the verge of reaching an agreement with Chelsea, according to Mundo Deportivo and Tuchel's men are quietly confident of striking a deal to take him to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea face stiff competition from Liverpool, however, with Jurgen Klopp identifying the former Borussia Dortmund man as a replacement for Sadio Mane, who could leave for Bayern Munich in the upcoming window. SPORT reports that Liverpool have made contact with the French international over a potential deal.
Chelsea might have to fend off the likes of the Reds but it's believed that Dembele decided to delay the decision regarding his future until the Chelsea takeover was completed, according to the Press Association, which suggests he is seriously considering a move to west London.
Dembele's agent, Moussa Sissoko, has revealed that his client is still weighing up his options. He said: "Ousmane's future remains open. We are and have always been very respectful to all clubs and this will continue to be the case while the process is ongoing. When it is the right time to make a decision, Ousmane will consider the best option for his future."
Where will Ousmane Dembele end up this summer? Let us know in the comment section below
Tuchel is a big admirer of Tuchel following their time at Signal Iduna Park but didn't want to talk about his contractual situation at Barcelona. Speaking in January, the Chelsea boss said: "He's a very good player, and I am very fortunate to have trained him in my time at Dortmund. It was only one year, it should have been longer, but I needed to leave and he decided to leave.
"We are not in close contact, we have met here and there because of his duties for the French national team when I was in Paris. We exchanged some messages. I have absolutely no idea why he is in this situation, I don’t know the detail, so it’s better not to talk."
