Chelsea 'on the verge of securing Ousmane Dembele deal'

Chelsea are reportedly on the brink of reaching an agreement with Barcelona for the transfer of Ousmane Dembele.

The France international's future has been the subject of much speculation in recent weeks, with Barcelona struggling to sign him to a fresh deal at Camp Nou.

The World Cup winner's current contract is due to expire at the end of June, and the Catalan giants are working to sell him before the January transfer window closes for business.

A proposed move to Paris Saint-Germain has allegedly broken down, while it is understood that Manchester United and Arsenal are not in the running for his signature despite recent reports.

According to ABC, a deal to take Dembele to Chelsea is '99% done', with Barcelona 'very close to getting rid' of the attacker on a permanent basis.

The report claims that negotiations are 'not yet closed', but 'Chelsea will be his destination', with Blues head coach Thomas Tuchel pushing for the move to go through.

Dembele, who has been left out of Barcelona's last two matchday squads amid the speculation surrounding his future, will allegedly sign a contract with the European Cup holders until June 2026.