According to a recent report by El Desmarque (via The Daily Star), Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is looking to acquire the services of Barcelona wide player Ousmane Dembele to provide more competition for the likes of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah at Anfield. The same source has also stated that the Catalan giants are open to selling their prized asset if they receive an offer from the Merseyside outfit worth more than €100m (£85m).
Dembele’s Growing Frustrations At Catalonia This Season
The 22-year-old has endured a frustrating campaign at the Nou Camp so far as he has featured sporadically mainly due to a hamstring injury. He was also suspended for a couple of matches after picking up a red card against Sevilla. Dembele’s frustrations have been mounting in the La Liga as he is not a guaranteed starter in Ernesto Valverde’s first-team anymore even when is fit and available.
The French winger has featured in just nine matches for the Spanish champions this term, scoring one goal in the process. He has averaged 1.0 shots, 1.6 key passes and 2.8 dribbles per game in the Spanish top-flight (stats via whoscored).
The Vernon-born talent has also secured 21 senior caps for the French national side while registering two goals for his country in the process.
What Are The French Whizkid’s Best Attributes?
Dembele boasts electric pace and is one of the quickest dribblers with the ball down the wide areas. He is always willing to take on his marker and beat him off the dribble in the final third. The French prospect can also interchange passes accurately with others around him and can deliver some inviting crosses into the opposition penalty box. However, he needs to stay injury-free and improve his productivity if he wants to succeed at the highest level.
Should The European Champions Make A Move For Dembele?
Dembele is destined to have a bright future in European football as long as he can prove his fitness over the next few years. There is no doubt that the Barca speedster is talented, but the Reds might be reluctant to pay big money for a winger who has only secured 492 minutes of playing time this season.
Klopp will be better off opting for someone else who has a better track record with injuries. Even though on paper, Dembele will be a fantastic addition to the Liverpool squad, the talented wide player has not shown enough quality to justify spending over €100m (£85m) for his services.
