Unexpected U-turn: PSG close doors for the signing of Barcelona superstar

Ousmane Dembele has dominated the headlines today following a series of revelations over contract negotiations with Barcelona.

Spanish media suggests the winger has rejected Barcelona’s final offer and is on the verge of signing for Paris Saint-Germain on a Bosman move. His agent Moussa Sissoko reportedly had a trip to Paris on the weekend, to hold discussions with Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

However, according to a report from Le Parisien, Dembele’s supposed move to PSG could fall through as the new sporting director Luis Campos is not a fan of the Barcelona superstar.

Campos, who is expected to replace Leonardo Araujo as the club’s sporting director in the summer, does not want to sign the former Borussia Dortmund starlet and has not given the board the green light to go ahead with the transfer.

Dembele was initially thought to be identified as PSG’s desired replacement for Angel Di Maria. The Argentine ace is set to leave the club in the summer, following the end of his contract. He has been offered to Barcelona, but the attacker is likely to join Juventus.

PSG had reportedly considered Dembele as an ideal long-term replacement for Di Maria. They wanted to create a deadly front three of him, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, with Neymar another player likely to be axed in the summer.

But PSG’s apparent decision to abandon the pursuit of the Frenchman could serve as a major blow for the player, as the Parisian juggernaut were one of the few clubs who are in a position to meet his exorbitant wage demands.

Apart from PSG, Dembele has been linked with a move to Chelsea, with Thomas Tuchel reportedly keen on a reunion at Stamford Bridge.

Manchester United has been mooted as another potential destination for the explosive winger. But with three months until club football gets back underway, it might be too early to rule out a move to PSG just yet.