Report: Manchester United submit formal offer for Barca's Dembele

Manchester United have apparently admitted defeat in their longstanding pursuit of Jadon Sancho.

The Red Devils are in formal talks with Barcelona to sign Ousmane Dembele on loan, reports Fabrizio Romano of The Guardian. Discussions between the Premier League side and the player's agent are underway, Romano adds.

With Borussia Dortmund unwilling to budge on their €120-million valuation of Sancho, United is forced to change course with the Oct. 5 transfer deadline fast approaching.

Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman has said that he'd like to keep Dembele but admitted he doesn't have final say in the matter.

"This is a situation to be resolved by the club and the player," Koeman told reporters during a press conference Wednesday. "As long as the player is with us, he is part of my plans. He didn't start (against Villarreal) because there are other players, too, and Ansu Fati has demonstrated that he is good enough to play."

Koeman added: "Ousmane has to wait for his chance. He was better physically in the first few weeks of preseason. He has dipped a little bit in the last week, but he trained well today and I'm counting on him."

Injuries have besieged the 23-year-old Frenchman since joining Barcelona from Dortmund for an initial €105-million fee in 2017.

Dembele has been viewed as a prime candidate to leave the Camp Nou as Barca look to inject some much-needed cash into the club, but it remains to be seen if they would be willing to ship the winger out on loan.