Getty Ousmane Dembele celebrates scoring for Barcelona.
ousmane Dembele’s future remains uncertain and very much the subject of speculation with the Barcelona forward’s contract at the Camp Nou set to expire at the end of June.
Dembele has yet to agree an extension and can therefore walk away for free in a matter of weeks. A summer exit is looking increasingly likely with a deal to join French champions Paris Saint-Germain “95% complete,” as reported by journalist Adrian Sanchez.
Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich and Premier League side Chelsea remain in the race for the French forward but have fallen behind PSG who currently look the favorites to secure the 25-year-old’s signature.
Dembele moved to Barcelona in 2017 following Neymar’s shock departure for PSG but has been plagued by injury during his time at the Camp Nou. The attacker has made 150 appearances in five years, scoring 32 goals in all competitions.
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How Will Barcelona Replace Dembele?
Barcelona do have options if Dembele does leave with Memphis Depay, Ansu Fati, and Ferran Torres all able to play out wide. Barcelona B winger Ez Abde, who did make 12 appearances for the first team this season, may also get another chance to shine.
The 20-year-old was in impressive form in 2022 for Sergi Barjuan’s side and could be handed an opportunity to stake a claim in the senior squad for the 2022-23 campaign during the club’s pre-season tour.
Barcelona could of course also dip into the transfer market. A move for Leeds winger Raphinha has been widely reported but the Brazilian’s price tag has increased now the Whites have secured their Premier League status for another season.
Jesse Marsch’s side are thought to want at least €55 million for Raphinha this summer which is likely to be out of the Catalan giants’s reach due to their ongoing financial issues.
Barcelona Still Keen on Lewandowski
Barcelona are also still hoping to boost their attack by bringing in Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich. The Poland international has confirmed he wants to leave but Barca must agree a fee with the Bundesliga champions.
Club vice-president Eduard Romeu has told RAC1 what the club must do to be able to afford to bring the striker in given their current economic contraints, as reported by Yahoo Sports.
“Currently the norm is one to three for financial fair play,” he said. “If we are able to get three times more than the cost of the transfer plus amortisation, he can be signed, but first we have to do the job of closing levers. If we don’t do it, as we are at the moment, by regulation it is not possible to sign him.”
Barcelona members will vote on measures to boost the club’s income on June 16 at an Extraordinary Assembly of Delegate Members. The two operations awaiting authorization are the sale of up to 49.9% of Barça Licensing & Merchandising (BLM) and the sale of up to 25% of television rights.
The club are hoping that if the two operations do go ahead the club could bring in €740 million, as reported by Diario Sport. The income could then be used to strengthen the squad by signing new players.
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