Chelsea interested in signing Ousmane Dembele?

Chelsea have made contact with the entourage of Ousmane Dembele, reputed journalist Fabrizio Romano claims.

The Frenchman has entered the final six months of his Barcelona contract, and he is free to speak with overseas clubs.

He has been linked with Newcastle United and Manchester United lately, but the Blues have now entered the pursuit.

The London giants have held talks with Dembele's representative, but it is unclear whether they will sign him this month.

The Catalan giants are keen to offload Dembele amid his contract stand-off. They are looking for around £20 million.

While the transfer fee is affordable, the player's wage demands could prove a stumbling block towards a mid-season deal.

He is currently on around £215,000-a-week. He is eyeing more than £300,000-a-week from interested clubs.

The Blues may be reluctant to meet the sum, considering he has been regularly in the treatment room since 2017.

Dembele has spent nearly 700 days on the sidelines with injuries since joining Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund.