Griezmann, Dembele could both stay at Barcelona — report

The offloading of players has begun in full swing for Barcelona president Joan Laporta and his board, as three players are on the verge of leaving, while Konrad de la Fuente has already made his way to France on loan, Jean-Clair Todibo has been sold to Nice and Matheus Fernandes’ contract has been ended unilaterally.

The next department of focus is on the forward line, where there are plenty of names to deal with. Lionel Messi is, of course, the biggest issue to address, as his contract renewal is imminent, but is being hindered by Financial Fair Play and taxation issues, with over 200 million euros needing to be freed up to accommodate his extension.

The next important names to address are Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Griezmann. And according to CAT Radio program Tot Costa, Barcelona are considering keeping both Frenchmen, but for varying reasons.

The sporting area considers keeping Griezmann as a highly interesting prospect. His future has been subject to great debate over the last few months. Despite a slight resurgence in form in his past season, his hefty wage has raised doubts about whether he should be sold while the club can recoup funds.

However, this report suggests that Barcelona are not actively looking to offload the former Atletico Madrid man who also wants to see out the remaining three years on his contract, but if an interesting economic proposal arrives, they will be open to a sale. It is unclear at the moment whether he will take a pay cut like some other veterans, but given the stringent budget, the Catalans may have no choice.

As for Ousmane Dembele, his lengthy injury layoff is going to be a serious problem as most suitors will be driven away. Barcelona have been clear that they cannot risk him going out for free next year when his contract is up, so they may have to offer him a renewal with reduced terms.