Manchester City target Ousmane Dembele as Pep Guardiola aims to beat former club Barcelona to starlet
Barca have been tracking Dortmund star all summer but Citizens chief could land a stinging blow on Catalans
MANCHESTER CITY boss Pep Guardiola is targeting Ousmane Dembele interest as he aims to land a huge blow on former club Barcelona.
The Catalans have been tracking the explosive French winger for years, with Dortmund threatening to report them over the pursuit.
France international Dembele has excelled since joining Dortmund from Rennes for £10.5million after snubbing Barcelona in favour of Germany.
And Dortmund are now holding out for an £80m fee - an incredible 800 per cent mark-up in just 12 months.
Paris Saint-Germain are also stepping up their interest but like Barca are some way short of the valuation.
Ousmane Dembele - the next French phenomenon?
- Dembele was born in Vernon, Normandy on May 15 1997.
- He played youth football for Evreux and Rennes until 2015 when he was promoted to the reserves.
- Dembele scored 12 league goals for Rennes' first team to earn a move to Dortmund after just one season.
- The Bundesliga outfit beat Barcelona to the signing by promising the talent game time and gave him 49 appearances in all competitions.
- Dembele made his France debut in 2016 and has gone on to win seven caps.
- He scored his first international goal in the 3-2 win over England in June 2017
City would have to smash the £54million they paid Wolfsburg for Kevin De Bruyne in 2015 - a Bundesliga record - to bring in Dembele.
And they will have to be careful how they approach the star as Dortmund protect their asset.
In the wake of Barcelona's interest, Dortmund director Michael Zorc warned: “Ousmane Dembele has a long-term contract – we are planning on it.
“There are no negotiations. Dembele will also play for BVB in the coming season.
“If Dortmund is not contacted [by interested clubs], we could initiate a Fifa procedure.”
Pacey forward Dembele can operate on either flank and is equally as dangerous on both feet.
He scored ten goals last season and has racked up seven international caps since 2016.