Liverpool Face Unai Emery Competition For €140m-rated player

Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move for highly rated French winger Ousmane Dembele ahead of the upcoming transfer window in January.

The Reds will, however, need to fend off the challenge of fellow Premier League title contenders Arsenal in the race to sign the former Rennes forward.

According to the report from the Daily Express, Arsenal are plotting to usurp the Merseysiders in the battle to sign the 21-year-old.

Ousmane Dembele has had a frustrating time in Spain since he signed for La Liga giants Barcelona in the summer of 2017.

The Frenchman joined Barcelona from German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund after the five-time European champions agreed an initial transfer fee worth €105m plus an additional €35m fee depending on add-ons.

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Dembele had an injury-disrupted season in his first campaign with the Spanish champions but that didn’t stop him from contributing his own quota to the Spanish La Liga and Spanish Copa Del Rey titles enjoyed by Barcelona during the 2017/18 season.

He followed a trophy-laden season up by being a part of the 23-man France squad that won this summer’s FIFA World Cup tournament in Russia.

Dembele has battled with disciplinary problems at Barcelona in his second season at the club thereby prompting transfer reports about a move to the Premier League.