Barcelona's general manager, Josep Segura, claims the Catalan club are close to completing the transfer of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool.
Speaking after his side lose 2-0 in the second leg (5-1 agg) to Real Madrid in the Spanish super cup he told TV3:
"We know that we have to strengthen the team and that's what we will continue to do in the coming days."
"We have to help the team. We're close [to Coutinho and Dembele], we're talking about the conditions but until everything is finalised, we can't say anything else. We hope they will wear a Barca shirt."
Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group insisted last week that Coutinho would not be sold, and Dortmund too have expressed surprise over Dembele.
Dortmund made an announcement that they had rejected Barcelona's latest bid for the player and their CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said:
Barcelona have so far not come a millimetre closer to their wish of completing the Dembele transfer.
"I can offer no explanation for what he [Segura] has claimed. The only reason I could think of is that Real left his side dizzy in the Super Cup."
Liverpool return to Anfield this weekend for Premier League action against Crystal Palace before next Wednesday's crucial second leg game against Hoffenheim in which the reds lead 2-1. Victory in that game will ensure the reds progress to the lucrative group stage of the Champions League.
I hate Barca and hope they get relegated.