Manchester United have reportedly opened discussions with Barcelona to secure a season-long loan deal for France international Ousmane Dembele.
Borussia Dortmund appear to have ruled out a move for United’s first-choice attacking target, Jadon Sancho, 20, this summer.
And United have been forced to scour the market for alternatives despite agreeing personal terms with the England winger.
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And the Red Devils have identified the 23-year-old as a possible back-up option to Sancho with just less than two weeks remaining of the summer transfer window.
According to Duncan Castles of Record Sport, senior United officials, including executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, have begun a dialogue with Barcelona to gauge Dembele’s potential availability.
The report claims Barca are open to sanctioning a temporary move for the forward before next month’s transfer deadline – but only if an obligatory purchase option is included in their agreement.
The La Liga outfit are demanding a fee of €100million (£92m) from clubs wanting to sign Dembele outright this summer.
Dembele has struggled for form and fitness across a frustrating three-year stay in Spain and has so far failed to live up to his hefty £135m transfer fee.
But he is determined to fight for his place under new head coach Ronald Koeman and would prefer to remain in Catalonia as it stands.
