Liverpool to hijack first Todd Boehly Chelsea signing of Ousmane Dembele after contacts

Thomas Tuchel will be hoping that lightening doesn’t strike twice if Chelsea can beat Liverpool to the signing of Ousmane Dembele.

Chelsea have been handed a fresh transfer dilemma in the race to sign Ousmane Dembele. Liverpool have made contact with the Barcelona winger following Sadio Mane’s decision to leave this summer, according to SPORT.

The France international, who sees his contract at the Camp Nou expire in the coming weeks, has been heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge this season. Dembele is yet to agree new terms with the Catalan side and is poised to leave on a free transfer at the end of the month.

However, although a deal looks like an exciting proposition aside from Dembele’s startling injury record, Chelsea must be wary of history repeating itself now that Liverpool have their feet under the table. Jurgen Klopp’s side rivalled the Blues for the signature of Timo Werner in 2020, who at the time was regarded as one Europe’s most in-demand strikers.

According to reports in Germany, Werner spoke to Klopp on the phone ahead of his Chelsea move. The Germany international wanted to move to Anfield but had reservations about whether he would play regularly considering Liverpool’s front three of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.

But, to the Blues’ delight, Werner eventually snubbed the Reds and chose Stamford Bridge. Though, the west Londoners soon realised they didn’t sign the heir to Salah or Mane’s throne.

With Liverpool’s interest in Dembele in mind, Chelsea should be wary of falling into a similar trap. However, Thomas Tuchel is known to be a big admirer of the Frenchman.

Speaking in Janaury on the winger’s contract saga, the Blues boss said: “He’s a very good player, and I am very fortunate to have trained him in my time at Dortmund. It was only one year, it should have been longer, but I needed to leave and he decided to leave.

“We are not in close contact, we have met here and there because of his duties for the French national team when I was in Paris. We exchanged some messages. I have absolutely no idea why he is in this situation, I don’t know the detail, so it’s better not to talk.”

football.london understand that the Blues are interested in Dembele and could move for him this summer, though the club will need to make way for his arrival with the sales of an attacker (or two).