Arsenal could be gifted the ideal transfer thanks to a player who was once considered a wonderkid at Manchester United. Ousmane Dembele has been linked with a move from Barcelona, and he would certainly enhance Mikel Arteta’s attacking strengths.
According to Spanish news outlet Marca, Barcelona are considering signing Adnan Januzaj to replace Dembele. The ex-Manchester United player recently confirmed that he would be leaving Real Sociedad at the end of the season with his contract set to expire.
The Gunners could be in desperate need of a winger amid Nicolas Pepe’s likely exit in the summer transfer window. Dembele would certainly be the perfect replacement fr the Ivorian.
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Dembele finished the La Liga season with 13 assists, which ranks him fifth amongst the top five leagues in Europe for this campaign. This is even more impressive when you consider the fact that he was left out of the Barcelona squad for large chunks of the season due to the uncertainty surrounding his contract.
Spanish news outlet El Chiringuito claims that Dembele’s agent has had a meeting with Arsenal. The Frenchman’s contract expiring at the end of the campaign is a blessing for Edu as it allows him to save finances to strengthen in other areas of the squad.
If Arsenal were to sign him, he would improve the squad with his direct play. His blistering pace will also provide breathing space for Bukayo Saka who has seemed to look burnt out at times this season due to the responsibility Mikel Arteta puts on his shoulders.
Pepe’s future is uncertain at the club as according to the Evening Standard, Arsenal will sit down with the winger and his agent at the end of the season to discuss his future. The winger has two years left on his deal and is expected to leave in the summer.
The Ivorian switching agencies could be the biggest hint yet that he is on his way out of the club. It would be a decision that benefits all parties involved after his struggles in north London after making the £72m switch from Lille in 2019.
Dembele’s time at Barcelona has certainly hurt his reputation, but the Catalan club should take a lot of blame for this due to their issues on and off the pitch. Both Phillipe Coutinho and Antoine Griezmann also joined for major transfer fees and struggled at Barcelona, but they thrived elsewhere when given the opportunity, which is a fate that Dembele could also follow.
A move for Dembele should certainly be considered by Edu, as he is a player with a lot of quality who would certainly sharpen Arteta’s attack. If a deal does happen then the Gunners may have to thank Januzaj for making the switch to Barcelona.
