Barcelona contract rebel makes a private commitment to Xavi

Throughout the January transfer window, the future of Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele dominated the headlines.

The Frenchman had rejected a new contract offer by the club, with his current one expiring at the end of the season. The Blaugrana wished to cash in on him in January rather than losing him for nothing in the summer.

There were plenty of takers for the 24-year-old winger as well. However, he rejected the options on the table to stay put at Camp Nou for the remainder of the season. It led to talks of a possible contract termination, which led nowhere.

At the same time, there had been a lot of rumblings about Dembele being sent to the stands for the rest of the season. However, manager Xavi Hernandez decided against such a drastic measure and made it clear that as long as the forward is at the club, he will be considered for selection.

“We can’t shoot ourselves in the foot. Dembélé can help us. He has been a good professional. I understand everyone’s positions but we have to close ranks and think what’s best for the club. We think he can help us,” Xavi had said prior to the game against Atletico Madrid.

While Xavi did not get a chance to put Dembele on against Atleti, he sent the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner on against Espanyol this past weekend with Barça trailing. And while the Frenchman did not score or assist, he put up a committed display and showed glimpses of his quality.

Now, SPORT is reporting that Dembele has had a private word with the manager, where he has assured that he will stay fully committed to the team and give his all for as long as he is at the club.

It is said that Xavi has a good relationship with the France international and values what he brings to the table. And it seems like the ex-Borussia Dortmund ace has responded well to the faith shown by the head coach, which should only help Barcelona for the rest of the season.