'Biggest deal since Cristiano Ronaldo' - Saudi Pro League launch Ousmane Dembele transfer swoop after PSG president's salary cap warning

The Saudi Pro League has already tempted a host of big names to the Middle East, with players such as Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Ruben Neves, Neymar and Sadio Mane all making the switch. Dembele has now emerged as the latest high-profile target and "preliminary inquiries" over a potential summer transfer have already been made, according to Sky Sports News. Dembele is said to be fully focused on the current season with PSG and will then switch his attention to the World Cup in the summer. The France international has already admitted he's targeting glory in North America, Mexico and Canada this summer, telling CNN: "We know what it takes to go all the way and we’re going to try to do everything to bring the trophy home. We know we have a mission in the United States. We’ve been talking about this World Cup for a long time now and I think we’ll be ready for the occasion."

However, Dembele's future is likely to come under scrutiny after the tournament, particularly as he will only have two years left on his existing deal with PSG at that point.

Kaveh Solhekol of Sky Sports News has shared his verdict on the speculation: "If this happens, it would be the biggest deal for Saudi Arabia since they signed Cristiano Ronaldo. The Saudi Pro League clubs are anticipating a big summer transfer window and one of the players they are looking to sign is Ousmane Dembele. Could it happen? I think it's a long shot - but the landscape of football in Saudi Arabia is changing. For a long time, the clubs were effectively bankrolled and controlled by the state. Then we had the situation where some of the biggest clubs were owned by the Sovereign Wealth Fund. Now we're in the situation where clubs are opening up and attracting private investment. So it's not just the case of Saudi state money being invested in these clubs and big-name transfers, it's also private investors who will be using their own money to try and sign players. They may well try and sign him, but whether he would want to go to Saudi Arabia when he's at the peak of his powers remain to be seen."

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Dembele's future has already made headlines this season amid speculation the French star wants a hefty pay rise following his Ballon d'Or win. PSG boss Luis Enrique has already batted away talk that Dembele has rejected the offer of a new contract at the Parc des Princes, while president Nasser Al Khelaifi has warned that players must fit into the club's wage structure. He told the media: "The club's policy is that we have a salary cap for the players, as everyone knows. Everyone must respect it. The team and the club are more important than anyone."

Dembele and PSG won four trophies last season, including a maiden Champions League title, but have so far struggled to hit top form this season. They return to action on Wednesday with a final Champions League league phase game against Newcastle at Parc des Princes and will be hoping to secure a top-eight finish and automatic qualification to the round of 16. Dembele recently returned from a hamstring injury and is expected to start the game. The French star has three goals and two assists to his name in five appearances so far this month for PSG.