January 02, (THEWILL) – Xavi remains optimistic that Ousmane Dembele will sign a new deal at Camp Nou.
After the current round of contract negotiations fell through, the French winger has now reached the final six months of his contract and may be willing to leave the club if his request for a wage increase is not granted.
Dembele and his representatives have been left unimpressed by Barcelona’s argument that they cannot afford to meet Dembele’s demands while also signing Ferran Torres for £55 million and negotiating a lucrative summer move for Erling Haaland.
Nonetheless, dialogue between Barcelona and Dembele remain open, and Xavi thinks that it will eventually result in a fruitful renewal.
“I am not disappointed”, Xavi said. “It’s a negotiation but the agents are difficult. I still have hopes that he will end up staying.
“At Barcelona we have a clear position and we are still in the process, it is not over. We have to wait. I have spoken with [Dembele] again and I think it is possible and I hope that Ousmane will make the effort to stay.
“He has a fantastic offer, but there is always a tug of war. I hope he can stay because he’s a player capable of making a difference and can be the best footballer in the world in his position. This is a real opportunity for him and he can’t miss it.”
When asked why he feels so confident, Xavi stated that those in control at Camp Nou have set a lofty goal for which every player should strive.
“I don’t think he could be in a happier place than here,” Xavi continued. “Barcelona is the best club in the world, the sports project is more important that the economic factors, and I have told him that. That is why I am hopeful
“I simply told him that we need him. He is an important player for us. He knows the sports project is intriguing. The economic issues don’t concern me.”
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.
