John Barnes has issued his backing for wantaway Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele to be a perfect fit for Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool ranks.
The France international Dembele has been linked with a move away from Camp Nou in the summer when his contract ends and Liverpool are credited with a strong interest in the player’s services.
Jurgen Klopp could be in the market sooner rather than later for reinforcements in the final third with the Liverpool manager losing both Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to the Africa Cup of Nations at the turn of the year.
With Dembele being a name that has emerged on the radar at Anfield in the past, the build-up to the summer has sparked off speculation that Liverpool will be inclined to revisit their interest in the French forward as talks of a summer move are not ruled out.
Speaking with BonusCodeBets, Liverpool hero John Barnes said that Dembele could prove to be a fantastic piece of transfer business for his former side should the winger stay clear of his recurring troubles on the injury front.
“Dembele would be a fantastic signing as long as his fitness holds up. I don’t know the state of his fitness, but his profile would suit Liverpool to a T: he’s fast, he’s direct, he’s skillful and aggressive with the ball.Â
“That’s what Liverpoo’s front three are. He’d be a perfect replacement in the short term for Mane and Salah. And both of them are coming up to 30 – Dembele’s still young, so even long term he could be a good replacement.
“That wouldn’t just be a stopgap signing. I look at him in the same vein as Diogo Jota, who can come in and play instead of Firmino or Mane if they’re injured or not playing well. Just from his quality, Dembele would be a great signing.”
