Report: Ousmane Dembele Doesn't Want to Be Part of Neymar Swap With PSG
PSG have inquired about including Ousmane Dembele in a deal that would see Neymar join Barcelona this summer but have been rebuffed by the Frenchman, whose preference is to stay at Camp Nou.
Neymar moved to Paris for a world record €222m two years ago but, despite scoring 51 goals in 58 appearances, a culmination of injury and morale issues have left him longing for a return to Spain.
The two clubs have been locked in negotiations all summer over a potential deal, with the astronomical finances involved as well as Barça's bloated squad meaning that at least one player would have to go in the opposite direction.
One player who has frequently been touted as a makeweight in a deal, and one who would knock the price down significantly, is Dembele, who joined Barça from Borussia Dortmund in the same window Neymar moved to France.
Though he is expected to go some way towards fulfilling his potential by playing a key role in the team this season, the acquisition of Neymar would likely make him redundant, and reports originating from L'Equipe (relayed by Mundo Deportivo) say that PSG director Leonardo has tried to use this to his advantage.
In a meeting held to discuss the Neymar situation, the idea of including Dembele was floated, and his relationship with PSG boss Thomas Tuchel, with whom he worked at Dortmund, and his understanding forged on the international stage with Kylian Mbappe, seemingly mean it would be a match made in heaven.
When contacted by the club to gauge interest, however, the response was a polite 'thanks but no thanks' from Dembele, who expressed no desire to leave this summer.
It means the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Ivan Rakitic and Samuel Umtiti are more likely to be used as makeweights should the deal eventually get over the line.
