Barça want Dembélé to stay, but only on their terms
It is totally feasible that if Mbappé had moved to Real Madrid, Ousmane Dembélé could now be a PSG player. Not necessarily to fill the gap on the pitch which Mbappé would have left but for the winger to help ease the exit of the star striker. There is no doubt that Dembélé played with a different attitude for the final months of the season and he and his agent, Sissoko, received praise from both Joan Laporta and Xavi despite there being a considerable indifference to the club’s offer to renew. The deal would have seen the player earn less, of course, but it was an additional effort for the Barça of today given their dire economic situation, in which the original signing of the French winger has also played its part. The player came in from Dortmund for 105+40 million euro and and has earned himself 12 million a year in a spell at Camp Nou that has seen limited consistency with the Frenchman constantly hampered by injury.
Dembélé can perform when he puts his mind to it
The Catalan club have offered the player a salary of 7 million euro per season which both the winger and agent Sissoko think it’s a poor offer and are looking for Barcelona to add the financial incentive of a ‘renewal bonus’, which Messi and other big name stars at Camp Nou received to help ease any financial concerns. This time, however Barça are making a stand given their economic situation and the fact that talks between both sides are resuming, suggests that Sissoko and Dembélé have not found any other would-be suitors prepared to offer deals which they feel are serious enough to contemplate. Dembélé is an overvalued player, perhaps yes, but one who has shown that he can perform when he puts his mind to it and also one who comes with recent praise from both Laporta and Xavi.
Xavi wants to see more end product
On his day, Dembélé can be a special player, with uncontrollable speed and an amazing ability to take defenders on. He still needs to improve on his finishing and he reminds me at times of how Vinicius was over a year ago. In 2022, in the Barcelona side led by Xavi, the French player has looked better, but in 21 games he has only scored 2 goals, one of theses coming against lowly Linares in the Copa del Rey. Xavi admires the player and feels that the team needs an individual with his playing characteristics but does too want to see more end product from the 25-year-old. As things stand both the player and agent still have other ideas and Barcelona want Dembélé to stay, but only at a price they are prepared to pay for his services.