Newcastle reportedly want £200k-a-week star who's 'better than Neymar'

By Giuseppe Labellarte

Newcastle United are reportedly interested in Barcelona attacker Ousmane Dembele.

Goal.com recently claimed that the 24-year-old is open to joining the Magpies next summer, when he becomes a free agent.

In addition, 90Min reported that Newcastle are one of just several Premier League sides eyeing Dembele.

As well as the Magpies, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Tottenham are keeping tabs on the Frenchman.

Dembele joined Barca in the summer of 2017 from Borussia Dortmund for a €105million (£97million) fee plus add-ons.

He arrived in Catalonia to much fanfare, but injuries have sadly hampered his time at the club.

Dembele has made 118 appearances for Barca, registering 30 goals and 21 assists.

Despite his injury troubles, the £200,000-a-week star is highly rated, and would be an incredible marquee signing for Newcastle.

“On the pitch he’s a phenomenon. It’s up to him where he ends up, he could be one of the best,” Lionel Messi is quoted by Sport as saying in December 2018. “He’s young and he is adapting.”

Meanwhile, former Barca chief Josep Bartomeu said Dembele is “better than Neymar.

In 2019, when asked about Barca buying back Neymar, Bartomeu said, via Sport: “I won’t say yes or no.

“I say that, with their money, Barca made a sporting bet.

“With that money, we went for players like Dembele and [Philippe] Coutinho.

“Dembele is better than Neymar. He’s at Barca and he is better.”

Reported Newcastle target could soon be free agent

Dembele is out of contract at the end of the season and has yet to pen fresh terms.

Clubs will be able to get him on a pre-contract from January 1, under the Bosman ruling.

Barca want to keep hold of Dembele, but Ronald Koeman admits they haven’t planned what to do in case he doesn’t renew.

Despite participating in the last two training sessions with rest of his teammates, the youngster has not been included in the squad for Wednesday’s game against Rayo Vallecano, according to Marca.

“The most important thing is that we want him to stay,” Koeman said during Tuesday’s pre-match press conference.

“He is key and has quality. The goal is for him to renew.

“Another thing is if he doesn’t want to renew. We have to talk as a club about the best way to deal with it.

“We haven’t yet talked about what our strategy will be if he doesn’t renew.”