Real Madrid rejected the chance to sign Barcelona ace because of salary demand

Ousmane Dembele is set to depart Barcelona as a free agent at the end of the season. The Frenchman’s current contract with the Blaugrana runs out in four months and he has turned down an extension proposal from the club.

Barça tried to offload Dembele during the January transfer window, but the winger rejected all offers on the table in order to stay put at Camp Nou, where he will now see the ongoing campaign through.

There had been speculations that Barcelona will freeze him out of the squad after his refusal to leave in January. But that has not been the case, as manager Xavi Hernandez has used him in games and the French forward has looked good in bursts.

Given his age and potential, there are several clubs interested in securing his services on a free transfer. Chelsea have been linked heavily while Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in taking Dembele back to his homeland.

However, a report from Fichajes has claimed that the 24-year-old’s services were offered to Barça’s arch-rivals Real Madrid. It is stated that Dembele’s representative, Moussa Sissoko even had a short meeting with officials from the Spanish capital outfit.

But, Los Blancos decided to pass up on the opportunity to sign the Barcelona ace due to his outrageous wage demands. It is claimed that Real Madrid were enticed by the prospect of landing the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner on a free transfer, but his financial demands put them off.

The ex-Borussia Dortmund is believed to have demanded a salary of around €10 million per year, along with a massive signing-on bonus, which Los Merengues did not wish to meet, leading to the move collapsing before any progress was made.

Apart from Real Madrid, Dembele’s agent offered him to other top clubs in Europe like Liverpool, Chelsea and PSG, while Newcastle United are also mentioned as a suitor. It remains to be seen where the French winger ends up when his contract with Barcelona runs out.