December 21, (THEWILL) – Barcelona has given Ousmane Dembele until Christmas day to accept their latest contract offer.
Dembele’s current contract ends at the conclusion of the season, and if no new deal is reached before the New Year, he will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with overseas clubs.
Barça has been trying to prolong Dembele’s stay at Camp Nou for some time, and had originally asked for a decision by the 15th of December.
Following the expiration of that deadline, Mundo Deportivo reports that the club will now give Dembele until Christmas to make up his mind. Xavi, the new head coach, and Joan Laporta, club president, are both eager to sign the Frenchman to a long-term contract.
Xavi declared in his first message to the club’s supporters that Dembele has the potential to become the finest player in his position in the world, and Laporta recently echoed these flattering remarks, indicating his belief that the player is better than Kylian Mbappe.
Despite these accolades, Dembele has largely disappointed since joining Barcelona for about £150 million in 2017. In 125 appearances, the wideman has only 30 goals and 25 assists due to an apparent lack of discipline and injuries.
Moussa Sissoko, Dembele’s agent, is understood to be the one holding up the contract extension. He is keeping quiet about whether his client wants to stay at the club, and Barça is getting impatient, hence this most recent ultimatum.
Even if Dembele signs a new contract, the Blaugrana plan to add more players in January. Xavi’s aim is to strengthen the front line, and they have already been connected to a number of high-profile targets.
Edinson Cavani of Manchester United is being examined, as is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal, who was just axed of his captaincy.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
