Chelsea were one club to hold talks to sign wantaway Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele during the January transfer window. However, the Blues were seemingly eyeing a free transfer in the summer rather than a cut-price winter switch.
Dembele's future has been up in the air since Barcelona president Joan Laporta revealed he wouldn't sign a contract extension.
And the LaLiga giants wanted him to depart in January to free up space on the wage bill for other incomings.
Xavi signed two forwards who will likely leapfrog Dembele in the pecking order at Camp Nou - Wolves' Adama Traore and Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The 24-year-old now looks primed to leave as a free agent at the end of the season, and Chelsea is a very realistic destination.
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He announced: "Our new contract proposal to Ousmane Dembele has expired on December 20.
"If he wanted to negotiate now, there would be different conditions. We negotiated for months, but Ousmane's aspirations were impossible for us.
"Ousmane Dembele won't be here next season. I feel he has an agreement with another club - so it's gonna be difficult to see him playing again with Barca.
"Of course, Xavi will decide whether Dembele will play again or not this season."
Thomas Tuchel worked with Ousmane Dembele at Borussia Dortmund. (Image: GETTY)
Throughout the January transfer window, Dembele was also strongly linked with PSG and Manchester United.
However, PSG distanced themselves with a winter deal, and United sources indicated the club was being used to broker a move elsewhere.
It remains to be seen whether or not Chelsea have already agreed terms with Dembele over a summer switch, but there is a strong possibility he could end up at Stamford Bridge once his Barcelona contract expires.