Barcelona has chosen to split ways with French striker Ousmane Dembele, who has been hesitant to sign a new deal at the Camp Nou, with Arsenal and Manchester United interested in having him.

Barcelona has decided to sell Ousmane Dembele during the forthcoming January transfer window, according to a report from Fichajes, after growing frustrated with waiting for him to sign a new deal.

Dembele joined Barcelona from German giants Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2017, replacing Neymar, who had completed a world-record deal to Paris Saint-Germain. Dembele has been a key player for the Catalans since his arrival. However, throughout his four-year stay at Camp Nou, the Frenchman has pretended to be someone he is not. He has spent most of his time on the sidelines owing to injuries.

Ousmane Dembele’s Barcelona career has been plagued by injuries

Indeed, Dembele has missed almost as many games for the Blaugrana as he has played for them. Even when fully healthy and on the field, the 2018 FIFA World Cup champion has struggled to maintain a high level of consistency. This season, he has appeared in only three games across all competitions, accumulating a total of 73 minutes of action on the field.

Dembele’s contract with Barcelona will expire at the conclusion of the season. The Catalan club had been determined to provide him with a fresh contract despite his difficulties. However, the former Rennes superstar has not been prepared to commit his long-term future to the club since he is holding out for a higher wage package from the club.

Ousmane Dembele has been attracting lucrative deals from all corners, including the top flight of English football

Dembele has had offers from teams all around Europe, with Newcastle United, in particular, offering a lucrative deal for €15m each season, as well as a €15 million signing-on incentive. Dembele has also received bids from clubs in the United States and Canada. Barcelona, on the other hand, is giving him a contract that is worth less than what he is presently earning as a result of the club’s financial difficulties.

While the Frenchman is said to be interested in prolonging his career at Camp Nou, he is demanding a higher salary than what is presently being offered, resulting in a deadlock with the club. Despite the club’s best efforts, no significant progress has been made, to the point that the Blaugrana are thought to be becoming more frustrated with the whole issue.

Barcelona want to sell him in January rather than losing him for free, with Arsenal previously said to be interested in signing him

As a consequence, according to the source, Barcelona has opted to unload Dembele during the forthcoming January transfer window in order to get a transfer fee rather than risk losing him for free at the end of the season. There was previously a talk of a swap deal between Dembele and Aubameyang, with both clubs wanting to get rid of their respective players.

There have been rumours of interest from Paris Saint-Germain, as well as from Premier League powerhouse Manchester United. It remains to be seen if any of the teams will make a move to sign him in the coming months.