The reason why Dembélé didn't finally join Manchester United

When the transfer window started, Ousmane Dembélé was one of the players that FC Barcelona considered transferable. Nevertheless, at the end the French winger will be staying at Ronald Koeman's team, despite the head coach doesn't consider him to be a vital player at puts Ansu Fati and Antoine Griezmann above him.

Dembélé's most certain chance to leave was when Manchester United focused on him, and made a bid to Barcelona to take the player in a one-year lone. At the end, the Spanish club told Dembélé that, to accept the transfer, he would have to renew his contract, that ends in 2022, for another year.

The intention of the club is not to lose Dembélé, who was paid more than $135 million in 2017. If he had left to the Red Devils he would have just 12 months left as a Barcelona player when he came back. To prevent the attacker leaving for free, Barça forced him to sign an extension contract in order to depart, something he finally refused to do.

After all, Manchester United signed Donny van de Beek, Edinson Cavani, Amad Diallo, Alex Telles and Facundo Pellistri in a well performed transfer window. Dembélé will have to fight to gain some minutes in Barcelona's starting XI and will hope to have best luck in next transfer window, where Manchester United could go for him again.