Ousmane Dembele’s Future at Barcelona in Doubt as PSG Shows Interest
Ousmane Dembele, the talented French forward, is facing an uncertain future at Barcelona as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) expresses interest in signing him this summer. The 26-year-old currently has a release clause of €50 million (£42 million) in his contract, which will expire at the end of the month. However, if the clause is not activated by then, it will rise to €100 million (£84 million) from August onwards.
Recent developments suggest that there may be significant progress in the next 24 hours regarding Dembele’s potential move. Despite the ongoing speculation, Dembele remains with the Barcelona squad in Dallas, where he played a crucial role in their 3-0 victory against Real Madrid, scoring a goal.
Barcelona had initially initiated talks to extend Dembele’s contract before the pre-season tour, as his current deal is set to expire next summer. The club was relatively relaxed about the situation, as Dembele’s agent, Moussa Sissoko, had assured them that they had no plans to activate the €50 million release clause by the end of July. However, PSG’s sudden and growing interest has changed the dynamics of the situation, leading to doubts within the dressing room about Dembele’s future at Barcelona.
The potential activation of the release clause would be particularly detrimental to Barcelona, as half of the amount, €25 million, would go directly to Dembele’s side, leaving the club with only €25 million. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Barcelona manager Xavi has emphasized Dembele’s importance to the team. Xavi started Dembele in the recent Clasico match against Real Madrid and praised his abilities, stating that he believes Dembele has the potential to be the best player in the world in his position.
However, Xavi was unable to dismiss the speculation about Dembele leaving, acknowledging that the transfer market is unpredictable. Spanish outlet Diario AS reported last Friday that PSG is determined to sign Dembele if they sell Kylian Mbappe. Xavi expressed his satisfaction with Dembele’s commitment to the team but acknowledged that the final decision lies with the player.
Barcelona maintains that they have no intention of selling Dembele or letting him go. Some sources within the first team believe that the rumors may be a tactic from Dembele’s camp to expedite contract negotiations for a potential extension.
In terms of timing, it would be challenging for Dembele to activate his current release clause. In Spanish football, any player who wishes to leave by paying their release clause must appear in person at La Liga’s headquarters and deposit the required amount. If Dembele were to activate his €50 million release clause, he would need to leave the team’s camp in the US immediately, travel back to Spain, and complete the necessary paperwork before the end of the month.
If negotiations continue and PSG still desires to sign Dembele from August 1st onwards, Barcelona sources assert that they will demand the full €100 million release clause from PSG to have any chance of securing Dembele’s signature.
The coming days will be crucial in determining Dembele’s future. Barcelona will need to navigate the delicate balance between retaining a key player and potentially negotiating a contract extension while considering PSG’s interest and the financial implications of the release clause. As the transfer window progresses, fans and pundits alike will eagerly await further developments regarding this high-profile transfer saga.
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