Sadio Mane’s decision to leave Liverpool could see Arsenal miss out on an ideal signing ahead of next season. The Reds have reportedly lined up Ousmane Dembele for a summer transfer move should Mane move on.
According to Spanish news outlet Sport, Liverpool have contacted Dembele’s entourage to gauge the player’s intentions this summer. Dembele’s agent has announced that nothing has been signed with anyone and that his future is still open.
This could turn out to be a major blow for Arsenal, as he would be an ideal signing for Mikel Arteta next season. If Liverpool were to continue their pursuit for Dembele, they would likely have a better chance of signing him due to the fact that they are playing in the Champions League, and have stamped their marker as one of the best teams in Europe over the past few seasons.
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Liverpool’s decision to sign Dembele could be decided by Mane’s next career move. When asked about his future at Liverpool, Mane said: "I will reply to that question after the Champions League final. Whether I stay or not, I will say it after the Champions League."
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.
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.
Nicolas Pepe’s future is uncertain at the club as the winger wants to leave Arsenal this summer and has instructed his agent to find him a new club, football.london understands. The winger has two years left on his deal and found the game time given to him by Arteta extremely limited during the previous campaign which has likely led to his desire for a way out of the club.
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. However, Liverpool’s interest in the winger could make a potential transfer to the Gunners extremely difficult due to the pulling power of the Reds.
