Domino effect: Assessing the impact of Dembele's big-money Barcelona move

Barcelona's gargantuan move for Ousmane Dembele filled one hole and created another. Now that the Catalan giant has a long-term replacement for Neymar in the 20-year-old, Borussia Dortmund has to scurry for a stand-in of its own.

The dominos continue to fall.

Neymar's move has now affected several clubs, including Liverpool, whose resolve to keep Philippe Coutinho has been tested to the maximum.

Dembele's decision to strike also paid off, setting a dangerous precedent in the process as the German club couldn't do anything to keep one of world football's most promising players.

Related: Barcelona reaches agreement to sign Dembele for initial €105M fee

What will happen next? Here are three scenarios that could play out in the aftermath of Dembele's €105-million transfer to Barcelona:

Coutinho no longer a priority for Barcelona

Fenway Sports Group should heave a big sigh of relief after seeing news of Barcelona's latest signing.

The Catalans' well-documented - and so far futile - pursuit of Coutinho could come to an end now that Dembele has arrived. Even though Barcelona clearly has the financial power to test Liverpool with a fourth bid well in excess of €100 million, it doesn't need to spend that kind of money on a player with a similar attacking profile to Dembele's.

Related - Report: Barcelona preparing 4th bid for Coutinho worth £136 million

Liverpool's unlikely to accept a bid for Coutinho anyway, creating an unnecessary bidding war for someone who's clearly not worth it. The fact the majority of the money from Neymar's sale has been dedicated to Dembele means Barcelona shouldn't feel obligated to spend a huge amount of money before the end of the transfer window.

Dembele is the signing president Josep Maria Bartomeu needed to appease restless supporters who've questioned the club's recruitment policies. Coutinho would simply be an expensive bonus.

On the other hand, the player may feel like he's lost his only chance to join Barcelona. Former teammate Steven Gerrard seems to believe the Spanish club convinced Coutinho to believe it's now or never for a move. But the Blaugrana could also come in for him next summer, when it's in a better position to negotiate without feeling desperate to reinvest its war chest.

Draxler as Dembele's replacement

Dortmund tried as hard as it could to keep Dembele, but the dribbling wizard has gone and left a hole in Peter Bosz's attack. It's not just the wide play that Dortmund will miss. The silky Frenchman cut inside and set up Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on numerous occasions.

So who's capable of producing that creativity? Andre Schurrle could stand to gain more minutes on the left wing, but is he good enough to improve the team?

Club CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke could take advantage of Paris Saint-Germain's expected fire sale to sign German international Julian Draxler. As a result of Neymar's move to the French capital, PSG has to flog off players to avoid breaching UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations. Draxler has lost his favourable role on the left wing to Neymar, and considering he has significant resale value, it makes sense for PSG to consider bids for him.

If Draxler were to switch the Parc des Princes for the Westfalenstadion, BVB wouldn't lose a step in the race for the Bundesliga title. It would get a promising and ready-made 23-year-old with experience as the captain of Confederations Cup-winning Germany. The former Schalke and Wolfsburg magician can dribble, create chances, and score goals in equal measure and play the kind of high-pressing, attacking football that Bosz craves.

Negotiation power tips in players' favour

By missing training and effectively going on strike, Dembele put immense pressure on Dortmund to make a deal with Barcelona. Even though the German side received close to what it was asking for the Frenchman, it had next to no chance of enforcing the player's contract. In other words, Dembele made it impossible for Dortmund to retain his services.

So where does that leave clubs? Watzke warned the rest of the Bundesliga that it was important to take a stance on Dembele, to set an example for a future generation of players who may think going on strike is the answer.

Contracts mean less and less in football, as relationships between clubs and players often deteriorate when a player wants out. It's happening right now between Southampton and Virgil van Dijk, whose professionalism has been questioned after submitting a transfer request. Just like Liverpool's position on Coutinho, the Saints have no intention to sell a player who recently signed a long-term contract.

Because Dembele's tactics worked - he reportedly went into hiding in France until Barcelona completed negotiations - other high-profile players could pull off a similar stunt to get what they want.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)