Manchester United Reportedly Join Arsenal in Ousmane Dembele Race

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly set to enter into a transfer battle with Arsenal over Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele as he looks to find a replacement for Anthony Martial, who is expected to depart Old Trafford.

According to Mundo Deportivo (h/t the Mirror's Martin Domin), the Red Devils will go head-to-head against Arsenal in an attempt to snap up the Frenchman, with the Gunners prepared to pay a £10 million loan fee for a season and then £90 million to sign him permanently next summer. 

Dembele, 21, only joined Barca last summer.

He endured injury issues, missing all of October, November and December due to a thigh problem.

But it seems unlikely Barca would be prepared to sell the talented youngster less than 12 months on from signing him from Borussia Dortmund in a deal potentially worth £135.5 million.

United and Arsenal only have until Thursday to make any new signings and complete their squads before the Premier League transfer deadline and the start of the 2018-19 season.

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Martial has endured a troublesome pre-season, notably fielding criticism from Mourinho for not returning to United's tour after the birth of his child, and he has been heavily linked with a departure, per Kris Voakes of Goal.

Dembele would be a fantastic replacement for his compatriot should Martial depart the club, but it would require a lot of work in a short amount of time.

A loan move is not out of the question if Barca manager Ernesto Valverde believes Dembele needs some time away from the Camp Nou.

Meanwhile, there is also the prospect Barca could use United's interest in the former Rennes star as leverage in their attempts to sign Pogba, per Domin's report.

In all likelihood, though, Dembele will stay put at Barca as they aim to defend their La Liga title in 2018-19.