Dembélé’s move to Barça has been, and continues to be, a roller coaster ride. Repeatedly accused of being undisciplined, he has barely been able to play 50% of his matches during these almost five years, mainly due to injuries. It was a signing at a gold price (in 2017 105 million more variables were paid to Borussia Dortmund, and it became the most expensive signing of the club until then) and with a very high record, around 20 million. A footballer who had not yet finished adapting to the Camp Nou and who was looking for a way out, both last summer and in this winter market. Temporarily removed from the team in January, Dembélé refused to leave, although Barça offered him the chance to play on loan for the last six months of his contract. In the end, despite the fact that the sports leadership – especially the football director, Mateu Alemany – opposed it, the coach lifted the punishment. And on Sunday, against Athletic Club, he made one of the most decisive performances he is remembered for: a vital goal and two assists in the short 25 minutes he played.
Dembélé travels to Paris
Ousmane Dembélé took advantage of the three days of celebration that Xavi gave to the staff to go to Paris. It is common for the winger to go to his home country when he has days off, but his presence in the city of PSG has fueled all sorts of rumors, given the current context. “There have been no further contacts, either with him or with his agent, since January. The situation is at a standstill,” they explained from the box office. Laporta, who publicly said that Dembélé had “disappointed” him as a footballer, was in favor of tearing up the fight until a few days ago. But Xavi Hernández, who arrived at Barça in early November, praised the end. A speech he continues to hold. “I already said that, well done, he could be the best in the world in his position,” he said on Sunday after the victory against the Basque team.
Xavi has reiterated in several press appearances that Dembélé’s attitude in training is “very good”. In the locker room they corroborate his version, and also say that, if he depended on the coach, the winger would play more seasons at the Camp Nou. “Everything around Dembélé is unpredictable. Obviously he is poorly advised,” says one of the sources consulted, close to Xavi. Training routines, exercises and roles have changed. Barça are starting to take the form that the new tenant of the bench wants and Dembélé has shown, with matches like the latter, that he could play a prominent role in the Barça of the future. Even the Camp Nou, initially hostile to the player, exchanged whistles for applause.
However, from the noble offices the situation is lived with a point of more coldness. The sports leadership acknowledges Dembélé’s “change” in the game, but also remembers that he is an “intermittent” player and that his good performances “have not had continuity”. In other words, they are afraid that after the good game on Sunday they will have to spend four or five to make a difference again. That is why Barça have chosen to be as prudent as possible. “Football is going around a lot. We’ll see what happens. If the evolution is good, we’ll sit down and talk. Although it’s probably too late,” said sources familiar with the case.
Dembélé’s requests are unattainable for Barça
The club withdrew the renewal offer on December 20 and since then had negotiated, in vain, with a departure of the footballer. But since January there has been no meeting between Barça and Moussa Sissoko, Dembélé’s agent. The representative demanded 40 million gross per year and an additional renewal premium of 40 million. These figures are disproportionate at the Camp Nou. “Neither the club is willing to pay this nor do we consider it worth this salary,” they point out from the offices. If Dembélé gets along well and agrees to negotiate to renew, the amounts proposed by Barça would be clearly lower. It does not appear, therefore, that the player will accept it. Except that pre-agreement that Sissoko has claimed to have is actually wet paper. As they insist at the Camp Nou: “In football, until the last minute, anything is possible.”