Chelsea ramp up efforts to sign Barcelona forward in the summer

According to the latest report from SPORT, Premier League giants Chelsea have made the signing of Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele their top priority for the summer transfer window.

The reigning European and World champions were keen on signing Dembele during the January transfer window and were willing to offer a sum of €10 million plus bonuses to lure him away from Barça. A move collapsed due to the player’s reluctance to leave.

However, Chelsea remain interested in signing the 24-year-old as they see it as a good opportunity to bring in a talent like him on a free transfer. The Blues are also in a position to hand him a significant signing-on bonus and meet his contract demands, which makes the possibility of a deal very likely.

Dembele, for his part, has looked good in recent games despite all the off-field distractions. The French winger is believed to be open to staying at Camp Nou but the difference between his demands and Barcelona’s offer is just too wide for there to be a chance of a renewal.

There have been no fresh discussions between the two camps over an extension and the club are not prepared to re-enter negotiations unless the player’s camp themselves make the first move.

However, that looks like an unlikely prospect as Dembele’s agent has been engaging in talks with several clubs across Europe such as Manchester United, Juventus and now Chelsea to secure the biggest possible move for the winger.

It is claimed that not only does the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner want a hefty wage packet, but he is also looking for a project where he would be the central figure in the team. Juventus seemed to be a likely destination, but Chelsea now seem to have the edge.

The Blues’ boss, Thomas Tuchel, has a solid relationship with Dembele, having helped him during his one-year stint with Borussia Dortmund.

Chelsea had briefly shifted their attention on Bayern Munich winger Serge Gnabry, but have dismissed the possibility of signing him due to the costs involved. They firmly have their sights on Dembele and negotiations are already underway.