Expert gives latest Arsenal transfer update on Ousmane Dembele
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire is claiming that Arsenal will struggle to conclude a deal for FC Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele
Arsenal will struggle to finance a deal to sign FC Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele, according to a football finance expert.
Arsenal have been extremely busy in the 2018 summer transfer window so far after Unai Emery was named as Arsene Wenger’s successor back in May.
The north London side have been linked with a sensational swoop to sign the promising 21-year-old from FC Barcelona despite his big-money move to Camp Nou last summer.
La Liga champions FC Barcelona cast doubt on Dembele’s future after the Spanish side completed a deal to sign Brazilian forward Malcom from French side Bordeuax last month to open up the possibility of the forward leaving.
Emery has confirmed that Arsenal won’t make a sixth signing unless a chance to sign a special player becomes available before deadline day next week.
Dembele would certainly fit the bill given his undoubted potential and his role in France’s World Cup triumph in Russia this summer.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire cliamed that there are number of reasons why a deal will prove difficult to conclude for Dembele.
“There are two issues with Dembele,” Maguire told the Daily Star.
“He’s been a disappointment at Barcelona, so they will struggle to get their money back.
“But he is only 21 so his best years are ahead of him and it could have just been a settling-in issue.
“He also suffered with injury problems – so all those things combined to a bad season.
“There is no indication that Barcelona want to sell – so they will push the price up to at least £100m.”
He added: “The second issue is Arsenal’s finances.
“Arsenal have a lot of cash but there are Financial Fair Play issues they need to deal with – that restricts their wage bill to around £7m.
“I think that even though Sanchez is off that bill now, there’s not a lot of wriggle room.”
Arsenal finished in sixth spot in the Premier League table last season to miss out on a place in the Champions League.
The Gunners lost 2-1 to La Liga side Atletico Madrid in the Europa League semi-finals last term.
