Barça to return to Dortmund with €140m offer for Dembélé
Sevilla - Barcelona: Copa del Rey quarter-final
Borussia Dortmund announced in a statement on the oficial club website on Thursday that Ousmane Dembélé had been temporarily suspended from training and match day activities after failing to attend a session with his future up in the air amid interest from Barcelona.
At the same time, Dortmund confirmed they had received a bid from Barcelona for the 20-year-old France international but that it had been rejected because it "did not match the player's extraordinary footballing abilities."
Peter Bosz: "Dembélé is in Dortmund"
That offer, according to Catalan broadcaster RAC-1, was of 110 million euros, 80 payable up front and another 30 in add-ons. Meanwhile, Dembélé was reportedly in Paris with friends, raising alarm bells at the Westfalenstadion, but Dortmund coach Peter Bosz denied those claims in the statement: "The player is currently present in Dortmund unlike other reports that state the contrary."
Other rumours suggested Dembélé had been on his way to Barcelona but sources at the Catalan club confirmed to AS that this was not the case. In the background, Real Madrid: Mundo Deportivo stated that the Bernabéu was planning to steal a march on Barcelona but the club told AS that there is no interest in the player at this time.
Liverpool not budging on Coutinho
Dortmund, alluding to the “current situation in the European transfer market,” value Dembélé at between 120 and 150 million euros and Barcelona are expected to make an offer closer to the Bundesliga club’s demands as they seek to replace Neymar before the season begins and in the face of Liverpool’s firm stance on Philippe Coutinho.
