Tottenham Hotspur are being linked with a move for Barcelona forward, Ousmane Dembele, according to reports from Spain this weekend.
Dembele endured a nightmare World Cup final for France yesterday. He was dragged off before half-time and was also responsible for giving away the opening penalty. It was a moment which drew criticism from Gary Neville as well, who labelled Dembele as ‘pathetic’ and ’embarrassing’ for the trip on Di Maria.
However, Mundo Deportivo has reported that Spurs are actually keen on signing Dembele. It’s suggested that his release clause will be around the £50m mark when the summer window rolls around. MD als lists Wolves as holding an interest in the Frenchman.
Of course, Dembele being linked with a move to England is nothing brand new. The former Dortmund man held firm over a new contract with Barcelona before eventually signing a new two-year deal in the summer. That saga came amid a backdrop of interest from clubs like Chelsea, Man United, and even Spurs at the time.
Dembele’s performances for France in the World Cup were sub-standard. Despite starting most games, he failed to deliver and the 40th minute substitution in the final summed up his efforts.
TBR’s View: Dembele doesn’t fit Conte’s ethos at Tottenham
For all the talent Dembele has, he just doesn’t seem to have any way of finding consistency in his game or delivering in the big moments.
Yes, he helped France to the final of the World Cup but compared to his teammates, he was sub-par.
For Tottenham, there’d be a lot of questions over this signing. Dembele’s whole playing style doesn’t really seem to fit that of what Conte demands. The skills are there, but there are questions over work ethic and attitude.
In a nutshell, Tottenham signing Dembele might just be too risky.