Chelsea received a lifeline should their interest in Ousmane Dembele return after the summer transfer window closed. Chelsea has been given a chance to save its pursuit of Ousmane Dembele. In the summer, as clubs lined up for the chance to sign one of Europe's most exciting forwards for free, the 25-year-old was extensively connected with a move to Stamford Bridge.
The Blues wanted to sign Dembele because Thomas Tuchel, a former Blues manager, was known to be a huge fan of the France international. The winger signed a two-year agreement at the Camp Nou after the west Londoners' attempts to sign him failed.
Dembele's contract with Barcelona contains a provision that allows for a possible exit. The Frenchman's contract has a €50 million (£43.6 million) release clause that is good through the summer of 2019. Chelsea now has a safety net in case they decide to rekindle their interest in Dembele. Since Graham Potter has taken over as manager at Stamford Bridge in lieu of Tuchel, it is unclear if the Barcelona star is still of interest to the team.
However, given that Dembele has previously stated his desire for a long future with the club playing alongside head coach Xavi, it might be challenging to pry him away from the Catalan team.