Premier League the most likely destination for Ousmane Dembele should he opt to leave Barcelona in January; Dembele has been offered a new contract and has been told to leave if he does not want to sign it; Dembele, 24, joined Barcelona in a £135m deal from Borussia Dortmund in 2017
Sunday 30 January 2022 20:23, UK
Ousmane Dembele is most likely to join a Premier League club if he leaves Barcelona before Monday's deadline.
His representatives Moussa Sissoko and Marco Lichtsteiner are working to find a solution for the winger whose Barcelona contract is due to expire at the end of the season.
The club told Dembele again on Thursday to find another club if he does not want to not sign their previous offer of a new short-term contract with a wage reduction.
Dembele would prefer to stay for the remainder of his current deal but Barcelona have made it clear they want him out now and have even threatened to leave him in the stands if he stays.
The 24-year-old joined the club from Borussia Dortmund for £135m in the summer of 2017 - just weeks after Neymar's world-record move to Paris Saint-Germain - but has struggled with injuries for much of his time in Spain.
Dembele has started just six matches this season with his only goal coming in the Copa del Rey victory at third-tier Linares earlier this month.
Dembele said last week he will "not give in to blackmail" after the club told the Frenchman he must leave in the January transfer window.
The 24-year-old said on Instagram: "As of today, I'm going to answer honestly without giving in to any form of blackmail.
"I forbid people from thinking that I'm not committed to this sporting project. I forbid people from attributing intentions to me that I've never had.
"I forbid people from speaking for me or my agent, who I have total confidence in. I'm still under contract, I'm fully committed and at the disposal of the club and my coach.
"I've always given everything for my team-mates and also for all the fans. That's not going to change now. I'm not a man who cheats and even less so one who's used to giving in to blackmail. Love can certainly be a variant of blackmail."
Who will be on the move in January?
The January transfer window opens on Saturday January 1, 2022 and closes at 11pm on Monday January 31.
Keep up-to-date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.
