“If Barcelona calls, we are willing to negotiate”: Message from French winger’s entourage

Ousmane Dembele is playing at the peak of his powers. With four assists in his last two starts, the young Frenchman has rekindled his lost form, leading to the suggestion that he might continue at Camp Nou beyond the ongoing contract which ends in June.

Spanish news outlet Diario SPORT says the player hasn’t signed any contract with a foreign club as he is fully committed to Barça and its goal of finishing as high as possible.

It’s no secret that the player has offers from elsewhere, but he wants to wait until the end of the season to decide whether to continue or to finally give up the Blaugrana blue. On the pitch, he is well connected with Xavi, but off it, the disparities regarding the contractual relationship remain.

Hence, everything is on standby at the moment. The last time Barcelona and Dembele’s entourages met was in January, and the negotiations broke down as the two parties were far off from each other’s valuations.

Amidst all this, his agent Moussa Sissoko has been the centrepiece of the action.

In January, Dembele’s Barcelona future seemed to have crumbled like a house of cards, but thanks to his quality performances coupled with Xavi’s treatment, Sissoko and his team remain open to discussion.

They know the 24-year-old is happy and is enjoying the new lease of life. But for anything to materialize, the player’s camp is expecting Barcelona to come up with a new and improved deal, something that hasn’t arrived yet.

Truth be told, Barcelona have essentially closed all doors to offer any improvement. As mentioned by the club’s vice-president, Rafa Yuste, the team wants someone from Dembele’s camp to take the first step meaning that what Sissoko is mumbling is essentially the same words as Barça’s. 

With 100 days left on his current contract, it remains to be seen who eventually gives up on the ego and takes the first necessary step.