CHELSEA are among the clubs considering a swoop for Barcelona outcast Ousmane Dembele. The France forward, 24, joined Barca from Borussia Dortmund for an initial £97million in 2017. But Barca will let him go in a £3m loan deal until the end of the season — when his contract ends. Newcastle could also join the […]
CHELSEA are among the clubs considering a swoop for Barcelona outcast Ousmane Dembele.
The France forward, 24, joined Barca from Borussia Dortmund for an initial £97million in 2017.
But Barca will let him go in a £3m loan deal until the end of the season — when his contract ends.
Newcastle could also join the race.
The Catalan giants’ director of football Mateu Alemany yesterday insisted he will go before the January 31 deadline.
Alemany said: “He doesn’t want to be part of our project.”
But Dembele wrote on Instagram he would not respond to “blackmail”.
He added: “Gossip about me has been piling up for four years. It’s been fours years since people have spoken for me, shamefully lied with one sole purpose – to harm me.
“As of today it’s over. From today I will speak honestly without giving in to any kind of blackmail.
“My message is transparent. I forbid anyone to give the impression that I am not involved in the sports project.
“I forbid anyone to attribute intentions to me that I have never had. I forbid anyone to speak for me or my representative, whom I fully trust.
“Still under contract, I am fully involved and at the disposal of my club, my coach.
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“I have always given everything for my colleagues and also for all the partners – it is not now that this is going to change. I am not a man who cheats and even less a man who has a habit of giving in to blackmail.
“As you know there are negotiations. I let my agent handle it, it’s his turf.
“My field is the ball, playing football, sharing moments of joy with my team-mates. Above all, let’s focus on winning.”
