Chelsea have reportedly made their first formal offer to Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele, although their terms still remain short of the France international's demands.
Dembele is set to leave Barcelona as a free agent when his contract expires at the end of June, and Thomas Tuchel is eager to bring him to Stamford Bridge. The pair previously worked together at Borussia Dortmund, where Dembele shot to prominence, and the German is no doubt hopeful of recapturing that magic in west London.
Paris Saint-Germain have also previously held an interest in Dembele, but a change in structure at the Parc Des Princes has complicated their position. The January transfer window saw Chelsea attempt to sign the 25-year-old, but a deal could not be pushed over the line.
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"He is a very good player when he is in his top-level," Tuchel said of Dembele during the January transfer window. "I am very fortunate to have trained him in my time at Dortmund. It was only one year, it should have been longer. I needed to leave, and he decided to leave."
But now, under the ownership of Todd Boehly's consortium, Chelsea are ready to try again. Dembele remains on their radar for the summer transfer window, with Tuchel eager to bolster his attacking options for the 2022-23 campaign.
However, according to a report from Spanish outlet Sport, their initial contract offer has already been submitted but remains short of the player's expectations. The report details that Chelsea had offered Dembele a four-year contract with a signing-on fee. It is a potential blow to the club but with Barcelona also refusing to budge on their offer to the player, and it means Chelsea are still likely favourites for his signature.
