Manchester United set to sign £210,000/week Barcelona star in January - Reports

Manchester United are finally in a position to sign a Barcelona star who could improve them greatly straightaway.

The last summer transfer window was a frustrating one for Manchester United. They were linked with multiple stars with Jadon Sancho being the most prominent among them. However, the Red Devils failed to meet Borussia Dortmund's asking price and a deal never happened.

Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele was also heavily linked with Manchester United until the last day of the transfer window but the Frenchman ended up staying put at the Camp Nou. Now, according to Mundo Deportivo (via The Faithful MUFC), they are finally in a good position to sign the 23-year-old in January.

Manchester United set to take advantage of Ousmane Dembele's contract situation to sign him from Barcelona

The report claims that Manchester United remain interested in securing the services of Ousmane Dembele. Dembele will enter the final year of his contract next season and it is not a good place for Barcelona to find themselves in.

Barcelona have been heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic in a financial sense and had asked players to take a pay-cut as the club recovers from a major slump.

The renewal of Ousmane Dembélé is in the hands of the next President. The player is, in principle, willing to continue at the Camp Nou, but without excessive rush because he knows that time is running in his favour. [md] pic.twitter.com/NVDxXzjw5K

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) December 28, 2020

But they still want to keep Ousmane Dembele and are trying to tie him down to a new deal at Barcelona. However, there's a limit to the offer that they can make owing to their current financial condition.

They have been in contact with Ousmane Dembele's agent but there have been no breakthroughs as yet. If both parties fail to come to an agreement, then next summer poses the last chance for Barcelona to cash in on Dembele as they wouldn't have significant negotiation power in the 2021-22 season's winter transfer window.

Manchester United have been desperate to find a good right winger. They have been without an out and out right winger for a very long time and Ousmane Dembele can play on either flank quite well and is a natural right winger.

Ousmane Dembele is back in Barcelona's squad for tonight's clash with Eibar after recovering from a hamstring injury 🙌 pic.twitter.com/K9og1fKLfp

— Goal (@goal) December 29, 2020

However, Dembele's injury streak could be of concern to Manchester United as the Frenchman has spent a major portion of his time at Barcelona on the sidelines owing to injury issues.

Though he started the new season off on a good note scoring four goals and providing two assists, he has missed the last five matches in all competitions after picking up a hamstring injury.

He definitely has the quality but the fact remains that Manchester United are indeed taking a gamble with Dembele due to his injury record.