Ousmane Dembele was reportedly left unhappy after being substituted at half-time during Paris Saint-Germain's defeat to Lens in the Trophee des Champions. The annual match, the equivalent of the Community Shield, sees the Ligue 1 champions face the Coupe de France holders in a one-off showdown.
Substitution sparks friction
PSG were beaten by a single goal, with Florian Thauvin scoring the winner in the first half. Dembele was selected to start the match by PSG manager Luis Enrique but was hauled off at the interval. This caused friction behind the scenes, according to RMC Sport, with Dembele left frustrated with the decision.
It's claimed that he was particularly unhappy because he had been preparing for his return to competition with the aim of being fit as soon as possible. While the report states the matter was quickly dealt with behind the scenes, rumours of a potential rift with Enrique have persisted.
Recent struggles and rest period
Dembele was also substituted at half-time during last weekend's draw with Rennes, with new signing Ferran Torres coming on to replace him. Earlier this week, PSG announced that Dembele had been granted a period of rest until Monday, meaning he won't be involved in their upcoming league game against Lille.
It remains to be seen if anything will come of the situation regarding a potential exit, which would be a huge development with less than a week until the transfer window closes.
Arsenal interest persists
Arsenal have previously been credited with an interest in Dembele, who remains tied down to PSG until the summer of 2028. Back in February, it was rumoured that the Gunners were looking into the possibility of a move for the 29-year-old, while they were also loosely linked during his time at Barcelona.
Arsenal have been widely tipped to sign another wide forward before next week's deadline, having already added Christos Tzolis to their ranks. They were previously linked with an ambitious move for Real Madrid talisman Vinicius Junior, but he eventually decided to sign a new contract at the Bernabeu.
Bradley Barcola is another name to have been mentioned in connection with the north Londoners, although he now looks more likely to join Liverpool.
Potential move complications
Dembele would be a serious coup for Arsenal and is capable of playing in any position across the front three, making him a versatile asset. However, a successful move certainly wouldn't be cheap and there is no guarantee that PSG would sell him at any price, regardless of his recent frustrations.
