Barcelona Boss Xavi Confirms Ousmane Dembele’s Departure as PSG Triggers Release Clause
Barcelona boss Xavi has officially confirmed that Ousmane Dembele will be leaving the club after Paris Saint-Germain triggered his £43 million release clause. The French champions had until the end of Monday to activate the clause before it doubled in price, and they successfully did so. They now have until Sunday to finalize the deal.
Xavi had hoped that Dembele would choose to stay at Camp Nou despite PSG’s interest, and he expressed his disappointment that the Frenchman has decided to leave the club. Speaking to TV3 after a friendly win over AC Milan in Las Vegas, Xavi said, “I will be very clear. Dembele has asked us to leave. He has a proposal from PSG, and that’s why he didn’t play.”
The Barcelona boss further expressed his disappointment, stating, “It’s a pity. I’m a little disappointed with Dembele. It leaves a bad taste for me because we had taken great care of him here so that he is happy and content and continues to make a difference for us. But we cannot match an offer from PSG that is completely out of the market.”
Xavi revealed that he tried to convince Dembele to stay, but the player had already made up his mind after speaking with former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. Xavi acknowledged that it is Dembele’s personal decision and if a player doesn’t want to be at Barca, they have to be let go.
Dembele’s departure has left his teammates saddened as well. Sergio Roberto expressed his disappointment, saying, “It’s a shame he’s leaving. He’s been here for many years, and the squad loves him. We all told him that, but he has decided to take another decision. We’re very sad about that, but we have to look forward.”
With Dembele’s departure, Barcelona is now considering bringing forward Vitor Roque’s registration to strengthen their attacking options. The Brazilian starlet was originally set to join Camp Nou next summer. Instead of signing a new winger, Xavi is keen on reinvesting the funds from Dembele’s sale on a right-back position. Jules Kounde has been given the role of center-back for the upcoming season, and Barcelona could reignite their interest in Manchester City’s Joao Cancelo.
Xavi stated, “With the departure of Dembele, we need a pure right-back now.” However, landing Cancelo won’t be easy as Barcelona will likely have to pay a fee exceeding £35 million. Despite City’s willingness to sell the player who spent the second half of last season on loan at Bayern Munich, they are unlikely to let him go for a bargain.
In other news, Barcelona star Ferran Torres has responded to links with Arsenal and Aston Villa. The player addressed the rumors and clarified his commitment to Barcelona. Additionally, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has responded to Xavi’s comments on Arsenal’s “not normal” intensity during their recent win over Barcelona.
For more stories like this, check out our sport page. Stay updated with the latest news by following Metro Sport on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
[Image Source: Metro.co.uk]
In conclusion, Ousmane Dembele’s departure from Barcelona has been confirmed by manager Xavi after Paris Saint-Germain triggered his release clause. Xavi expressed his disappointment but acknowledged that it is Dembele’s personal decision. Barcelona is now looking to strengthen their squad by bringing in a right-back and potentially reigniting their interest in Joao Cancelo from Manchester City.