Following in the footsteps of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann, superstar Usman Dembele has been left out of Barcelona. The Frenchman’s chances of leaving the club have been boosted by negotiations between Barcelona and the player’s agent over the renewal of Dembele’s contract, which expires next summer. Dembele wants to stay at the club but has been told by Barcelona that he will not be paid.
With this, Barcelona may try to sell the player to another club during the January transfer period. Meanwhile, two Premier League clubs have come forward to accept Dembele for a hefty salary if he becomes a free agent. If the No. 11 player stays at Barcelona without changing clubs in January and does not renew his contract, huge financial losses await him.
Dembele, who joined Borussia Dortmund after Neymar left the club in 2017, has a contract with Barcelona until the end of this season. Under the current agreement, the player is free to negotiate a transfer with other clubs from January 1. Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez recently said that he hopes to renew his contract before the end of 2021 and that Dembele is a key player in his plan.
Despite the interest of major clubs, including in the Premier League, Xavi was successful in persuading Dembele to stay at Barcelona. The first indication was that the player would stay at the Spanish club, reducing his current salary. However, during talks between the two sides, Dembele’s representatives reportedly demanded 40 million euros (Rs 337 crore) in annual taxes and 20 million (168 crore) in signatures after taxes. Barcelona have made it clear that it is not possible to pay such a large sum in the current situation.
Dembele, who was bought by Barcelona four years ago for 110 million euros, now has a market value of at least 50 million. If the contract is not renewed, Barcelona will want to sell the player and use the money for the next transfer period. English club Newcastle have expressed interest in signing United. Dembele will try to stay at Barcelona until the end of the season, as he can now become a free agent after waiting at least six months, and then a big deal with the new club.
Strike Ousmane Dembele unlikely to renew his contract with Barcelona after fee talk collapsed
