According to Sport, Arsenal have set their sights on Ousmane Dembele. They are considering the possibility of making a move for the Barcelona winger in the summer. Dembele’s days at Catalonia could be numbered after struggling to make the desired impact, with Manchester United also interested in his services.
In this article, however, we will discuss three reasons why Arsenal must refrain from signing the ex-Borussia Dortmund star in the summer.
Dembele is an injury-prone attacker
Dembele moved to Barcelona in the summer of 2017, becoming one of the most expensive signings in the history of football. However, his spell at Catalonia has been marred by injuries. In fact, he has suffered nine different periods on the sidelines since arriving at Camp Nou.
Five of those spells stemmed from a hamstring problem that has kept him out on the sidelines for a total of 431 days. It has played a crucial role in minimising his overall game-time at Barcelona, ultimately affecting his importance at the club.
Indeed, Dembele has failed to muster over 2,000 minutes of league football in any of the three seasons in La Liga so far. He has featured in only 356 minutes of football in the ongoing campaign due to the same hamstring problem and is expected to remain out for the rest of the season.
Lack of discipline
What makes Dembele such an infuriating figure is his attitude that often becomes detrimental for the team. He has a short-temper and can easily lose his patience, forcing him to either make rash challenges or get involved in a heated duel. It is certainly not an ideal trait for any top class attacker.
Moreover, the Frenchman lacks any sense of discipline. He was notably suspended by Borussia Dortmund for a temporary period after skipping training. He tried to force a move to Barcelona, and while it worked, it certainly does not shed a good light on the player’s morals.
Tactical and financial incompatibility
Perhaps the most important reason as to why Arsenal must refrain from signing Dembele is that he is unlikely to shine in the Premier League. His style of play is not exactly suited to Mikel Arteta’s tactical setup, which was rather evident in Nicolas Pepe’s failures this campaign.
The ex-LOSC Lille star could not make the desired impact despite all his skill and pace. Dembele could face a similar problem and fail to cope with the fast-paced nature of the Premier League. Moreover, the Frenchman is likely to cost a fortune as Barcelona will be looking to recoup a chunk of the money they had spent back in 2017. It doesn’t bode well for an Arsenal side, who will likely have to operate with a low budget following a spending spree last summer.
