Ousmane Dembele (C) runs with the ball during the Spanish Super Cup semi-final match between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the King Fahd International stadium in the Saudi capital Riyadh on January 12, 2022. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP) (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)
Barcelona set final deadline in Ousmane Dembélé contract negotiations
Despite reports claiming Barcelona have given up on reaching an extension with Ousmane Dembélé, the club is expected to hold one final meeting with the player’s representatives.
According to Sport, there is a meeting scheduled for Tuesday where Barcelona will make their final attempt — either he renews or the Catalan side will have to figure out what to do with him before the winter transfer window closes.
Should Dembélé reject their proposal, Barcelona are prepared to sell him by the end of the month or send him to the stands for the rest of the season like they did with Ilaix Moriba. There are reports as well that he’s been offered to Manchester United and Newcastle United for €20 million.
The two sides are very far apart on the economic side as the player’s representatives are asking for astronomical wages as well as a signing bonus. Numbers Barcelona are unwilling to agree upon given Dembélé’s injury history.
Dembélé himself has yet to come out to confirm or deny the numbers floating out there are true. However, he is insistent that he is happy at Barcelona and wants to stay and he’s told this to Xavi Hernandez.
But patience has run out at Barcelona and are looking for an answer one way or another.
Initially, the manager was all for Dembélé staying and went out of his way to praise him during his press conferences. That has changed as well.
According to Diario AS, Xavi feels let down by Dembélé, more so with his agent who he believes has created a toxic atmosphere and is the main culprits as to why a deal has not been reached. All that being said, he does not contemplate sending him to the stands.
Xavi believes it would be best, assuming there is no deal to be made, for the former Borussia Dortmund star to leave as it would create more space on the wage bill for a potential signing and because, if he stays, Dembélé is going to be the recipient of a hostile Camp Nou crowd. The last thing they want is a repeat of what happened to Samuel Umtiti in the Joan Gamper match.
In any case, the final showdown is set and the conclusion of a drawn out saga will be reached. As it stands, the belief is an agreement between the two sides will not be reached.
