โLiverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is prepared to sign Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele if the La Liga giants decide to allow the Frenchman to leave the Camp Nou, according to reports.
The 21-year-old has struggled to make an impact at Barรงaย and, despite an injury to Lionel Messi, is often named on the substitute's bench for matches.
Many have suggested thatย โDembele's attitude and timekeeping have been to blame for his struggles, and Dembele's long-term future at the club has come into question in recent weeks.
The link betweenย โDembeleย andย โLiverpoolย comes from Spanish outletย โMundo Deportivo, who claim that Klopp will move for the Frenchman ifย โBarcelonaย look to sell him.
Klopp is believed to have been keen on signing Dembele whilst the Frenchman was atย โBorussia Dortmund, but the winger eventually moved to Spain for over ยฃ130m as a replacement forย โNeymar, who left to join Paris Saint-Germain.
However, despite his astronomical price tag, Dembele has struggled to cement himself as a regular in Barcelona's starting lineup. He has recently been forced to watch from the sidelines asย โRafinha, who is primarily a central midfielder, has been deployed on the right side of Barcelona's attack.
Dembele is widely regarded as one of the most promising young players in world football. He first emerged as a future superstar during the early stages of his career with French side Rennes, before continuing his upward trajectory in theย โBundesligaย with Dortmund.
He racked up ten goalsย and 22 assists in 50 appearances during his time in Germany, and has managed to maintain a similar rate in Spain. In his 36 Barcelona appearances to date, Dembele has netted nine goals and created a further ten for his teammates.
However, Dembele has struggled for consistent minutes as heย competes with the likes ofย โMessi, Philippeย Coutinho andย โLuis Suarez. With Ernesto Valverde preferring to field an out-of-position Rafinha in Dembele's place, rumours of a potential departure from the Camp Nou will no doubt continue.