Ousmane Dembele is out of contract at Barcelona at the end of June 2022 and had been expected to walk away from the Camp Nou after five years on a free transfer.
However, the French forward could be about to make a shock decision on his future, as reported by Javi Miguel at Diario AS. Dembele is currently “one step away” from staying at Barcelona and accepting the contract extension that has been on offer since December 2021.
Dembele has called Barcelona coach Xavi to ask him to speak to president Joan Laporta on his behalf and increase the offer but was told, “there will be no new offer, you accept the one you have or goodbye.”
The 25-year-old has been spotted during the off-season telling a supporter he was staying at Barcelona and it seems he could now continue his career at the Camp Nou after all.
Dembele has been at Barcelona since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 following Neymar’s shock departure from Paris Saint-Germain. The forward’s time at Barcelona has been disrupted by injuries and means he’s played 150 games so far for the Catalans, 44 of which came last season.
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Dembele Has Delayed Decision
If Dembele does opt to stay at Barcelona it would come as something of a shock. The club have long made it clear they want to keep hold of the Frenchman but haven’t been able to reach an agreement on a new deal despite negotiations taking place throughout the season.
Sporting director Mateu Alemany spoke of his frustration at dealing with Dembele and his agent Moussa Sissoko earlier in the campaign, as reported by Diario Sport.
“Dembele’s future is known (only) by him and his agents,” he explained. “I have my own personal opinion on this but it’s not relevant. There is no news, the same as the last six or seven months.”
Laporta, who has described Dembele as “better than Kylian Mbappe” this season, has also bemoaned the lack of contact from the forward, as reported by FourFourTwo. He said in May, “Ousmane had a renewal offer from us and we have no news that he has accepted it.”
Dembele Lacking Offers?
One reason Dembele may end up continuing at the Camp Nou could be a lack of offers from other clubs. Both Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain have “cooled their interest” in the forward ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Diario Sport.
The Premier League side have concerns about Dembele’s fitness record and have also been “surprised” by his demands. The forward has been eager for guarantees that he will be a starter at Stamford Bridge.
PSG have also lost interest in the attacker, particularly since sporting director Leonardo departed the club. Luis Campos has replaced Leonardo in the French capital and is not keen on bringing in Dembele.
Kylian Mbappe’s decision to renew his contract with PSG and continue his career may also have impacted on any plans for a Dembele move. The Ligue 1 champions hardly lack for attacking options with Lionel Messi and Neymar in the squad as well as Mbappe.
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Barcelona’s Dembele ‘One Step Away’ From Shock Decision: Report