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Barcelona’s Deadline Day story: A script that could not have been written

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5 years ago

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The script that panned out on deadline day at Barcelona just cannot be made up. It had drama, speculation, food, controversies, and all the confusion that the final day of a transfer window promises — plus Ousmane Dembélé.

Of the plethora of players linked with the Blaugranas, only one signing came to fruition. However, the minuscule end product does gross injustice to the sweat and tears that went into the negotiations.

As president Joan Laporta said, the club’s sporting director Mateu Alemany ‘was doing miracles’.

Largely, Barcelona’s deadline day revolved around two former Borussia Dortmund teammates: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Dembélé.

While one gave his all to join the club, the other gave his all to frustrate the Catalans. Here is the synopsis of Barcelona’s crazy day at the office.

Ousmane Dembele

Heading into the final 24 hours of the window, all eyes in Catalonia were on Dembele. The striker turned down the club’s persistent renewal offers to facilitate a move away. However, he too was on a tightrope as Xavi made it clear that he would have no role in the first team if he did not renew.

It was a final chance for Dembele to secure an exit from the club without spending six months on the stands. More importantly, it was Barcelona’s final chance to recoup some money from his sale.

To make matters worse, many of Barcelona’s decisions in the market depended on the Frenchman’s decision. It was well established that unless he left, the club would be unable to make multiple signings.

As the day started, Paris Saint Germain seemed to be in a peak position to sign him. The Parisians agreed to bring in Dembele on a swap deal, but the personnel involved was yet to be finalized.

Juan Bernat seemed to be PSG’s choice for the transaction, but the Spaniard refused to leave the club. Angel di Maria and Mauro Icardi were amongst the other options proposed, but an agreement could be found with neither.

Later in the day, Barcelona reportedly reached an agreement to sign Pierre Emerick Aubameyang. However, it once again depended on the Frenchman’s departure.

Amidst the confusion and frustration, a cool, calm, and composed Dembele landed in Barcelona from Paris. He was spotted in the airport, free of any worries over his future.

A sense of disappointment was set, as it seemed like the player’s departure was inching closer to ‘impossible’ than it had ever been before.

However, Laporta’s men did not cave into the disappointment. They made an immediate effort to incorporate Dembele into the Aubameyang deal as a swap. With the chance to join Arsenal at his doorstep, the French winger turned it down.

Minutes later, PSG arrived with their final offer. The proposal was a straight swap of Abdou Diallo or Junior Dina Ebimbe for Dembele. That deal too crashed before take-off, and PSG left the race.

With seven hours left on the clock, Chelsea once again made inquiries for the winger. The London-based side had shown their interest in him known earlier too, and it seemed like a deal could be manoeuvred.

Media outlets reported rapid progress, with some saying the move was almost done. The dream soon crashed when the two parties agreed that a summer move would be better.

When three hours were left on the clock, a new suitor appeared on the horizon. Tottenham Hotspurs made an effort to seal Dembele’s signature, but the winger turned that option down too.

Laporta then presented the Frenchman with a final contract renewal offer for €14 million per year, which was also rejected by his party. With all roads closed, Dembele is set to stay in Barcelona for another six months.

This morning, news of his contract termination is doing the rounds.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

A few hours before the commencement of deadline day, Barcelona were reported to have a full agreement with Aubameyang. However, an agreement with Arsenal and the salary details remained to be discussed.

Soon, news arrived that the striker’s arrival will not be possible without Dembele’s departure. Laporta tried to include the Frenchman in a swap deal with Arsenal, but Dembele rejected the possibility.

At half-past noon, Aubameyang arrived in Barcelona with no agreement reported between the parties yet. His arrival came as a surprise even to the members of the board.

Out of the blue, reports circulated that the Arsenal striker had arrived on a family trip and that talks with Barcelona had broken down. The medical examination schedules for him was said to be canceled.

Given the situation around Dembele, only a massive wage cut from the Gabonese player’s side could make the deal possible. Aubameyang agreed to lower his wages from around €350,000 to €100,000 to make it happen.

Yet, there was no clarity. For a period of two hours, various outlets contradicted each other. While some stayed firm on the fact that the deal was done, others believed the talks had broken down.

Around six hours from the closing of deadline day, the move of the striker seemed completely lost and devoid of hope.

After two confusing hours, Laporta told the media that Mateu Alemany had found a way to make the deal possible. The transfer was on the cards again, and the medicals were back as scheduled.

The proposed move was a loan deal for six months with an option to extend by another season. Just when the situation seemed to be calming, a flurry of reports came in claiming a change in deal structure.

Barcelona worked a way to make Aubameyang’s move a permanent one with Arsenal giving him a letter of freedom. Effectively, it was a free transfer for 18 months.

Soon, he reached an agreement with the club and underwent his medicals. An official announcement is expected soon.

Clement Lenglet

The morning of deadline day brought with it the news of Barcelona negotiating with Atletico Madrid over a loan move for Clement Lenglet. Los Rojiblancos were said to be close to finalizing a deal with the centre-back until it was discarded in the evening.

At the end of the long day, the Blaugranas won the signature of Aubameyang on a good deal. However, Ousmane Dembele continues to stay in Catalonia and seems set to spend six months on the stands.

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