Ousmane Dembele will run out of contract with Barcelona at the end of the season, and there has been some tension reported between the club and the player regarding the new deal they put on his table. Apparently, it included a significant reduction in wages, which was something Dembele wasn’t ready to accept.
There is still no agreement between the two sides, but Dembele has been introduced back in the team, and head coach Xavi Hernandez claims the winger has been very professional throughout the whole situation. According to Sky Sports, Xavi is now hoping that an agreement between Dembele and the club hierarchy will be found and that Dembele will be a Barcelona player for years to come.
Many even expected Dembele to be named to start in the second leg of Barcelona’s clash with Napoli in the Europa League play-offs. However, he has only been named on the bench in the match taking place this evening (Thursday) at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Dembele joined Barcelona in the summer of 2017, in the aftermath of Neymar’s forced departure to Paris Saint-Germain which still holds as the world’s most expensive football transfer ever at €222 million. Injuries have frequently hampered his efforts to justify the €105m paid to Borussia Dortmund for his services.
“Ousmane’s contract is up in June and it’s a matter that’s between the club and him,” Xavi said. “I see him as being happy. He’s acting like a true professional. I’m very happy with him.
“Even when he knew he wasn’t in the squad, he’s been a model professional. I haven’t had the slightest problem with Ousmane.”
