Paper Round: Cash-rich Barcelona could spend Neymar cash on Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Griezmann

Barcelona are linked with moves for Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Griezmann as they get set to spend the £198m Neymar cash. 

Barcelona target Ousmane Dembele 

Following the sale of Neymar Jr to Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona are on the hunt for a replacement. Their attention has turned to Ousmane Dembele, Borussia Dortmund’s 20-year-old French international forward. Dembele has scored once for his country, and already had a £90m price tag on his head going into the summer. That fee has become £100m now that the German club know Barcelona have money to burn. Antoine Griezmann and Angel Di Maria are next in line on the shopping list. 

Our view: Barca definitely need a replace for the departed Neymar. Getting it done in a calm way is key. Dembele is a sensible, long-term but is he ready to step into the big shoe left by Neymar just yet? Antoine Griezmann the other option is worth the move but Atletico might no be willing to sell due to their transfer ban. They should also search for other option should they fail to get these targets. Look at Kylian Mbappe from Monaco. 

Conte hits out at Chelsea transfers 

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte expressed his frustration with the club’s slack attitude to transfers. Asked about why the club were happy to let Nemanja Matic go when they need reinforcements, Conte said: “You will have to ask the club about this. We have a very small squad and it’s very important to improve the numerical aspect. One new player will not be enough. We need more players.” 

Our view: Conte is still trying to avoid the question as to why Matic was sold to United. First he left him out of preseason, and then again, if he had wanted him to stay, he should have convinced the Chelsea board that Matic was part of his plan in the coming season. So who is to blame? He needs more reinforcement now, several players have come in, some are injured and the team is small. Champions League is looming and there's no time to waste. 

Wenger: Sorry I’m still here 

Arsene Wenger mocked those who had either expected or called for his departure over the course of last season. Wenger was asked if he had a message for those who thought he now needed to deliver success on the pitch, and he replied: “I am sorry I am still here! I can understand that you want to kill me but at the moment, I survive. “Look, we won the FA Cup and made 75 points, and we are of course not happy with it but some teams made worse.” 

Our view: Wenger should wake up to reality. He has failed to win the league for more than 14 years and still brag about winning the FA Cup and amassing 75 points in the league? Come on Wenger! Mourinho, Claudio Ranieri, Carlo Aceloti (Chelsea and Madrid) Mancini, Pellegrini and many more were all sacked from their jobs even after winning the leagues and other major trophies and you come here and brag about others being worst. Wake up man! Arsenal is not a mid table team but a big and competitive one.