OUSMANE DEMBELE is ready to join the Chelsea revolution — but refuses to watch it from the bench.
The Barcelona forward, 25, is wanted by boss Thomas Tuchel as a replacement for misfit Romelu Lukaku, who is edging closer to a return to Inter Milan.
Dembele has serious ambitions to win the Premier League title and Champions League.
But he wants assurances from Tuchel that he will be a Chelsea starter and not subject to strict squad rotation.
Dembele completed 90 minutes on only nine occasions last season but still finished it with 13 assists — the most in LaLiga.
The 27-cap France star has grown frustrated at the Nou Camp having started just 41 per cent of games he has played in the last three seasons.
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He played for Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund and the coach described him as a “crazy talent”.
Dembele’s stunning form in Germany earned him a move to Barca in a deal worth £138million, with £97m paid up front.
Inter Milan have had their offer of an £8m loan fee to lure Lukaku back – just 12 months after he left for England in a whopping £97m transfer – rejected.
Chelsea want more than double that to help fund their search for an alternative — but they are coming round to the idea of letting Lukaku go.
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Dembele is a target even though he is not a like-for-like swap for Lukaku — a classic No 9.
Chelsea’s head coach has proved versatile in his approach to his front line, playing Kai Havertz in the middle of a front three as a so-called ‘false nine’.
Lukaku is willing to take a cut on his £325,000-a-week wages to find happiness back in Italy.
But Inter are also hoping to raise extra funds by selling right-back Denzel Dumfries and offloading centre-back Milan Skriniar, with Chelsea interested in both players.
