Barcelona’s 26-year-old winger, Ousmane Dembele, has reportedly turned down the club’s latest contract offer, fueling speculation about his future at Camp Nou.
The Frenchman’s current deal has entered its final year, leading to increased interest from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), the reigning Ligue 1 champions.
PSG’s pursuit of Dembele has intensified in recent weeks as they aim to replace Kylian Mbappe, who has opted against renewing his contract and is set to depart for free in June 2024.
PSG had reportedly accepted a world-record €300m (£259m) bid from Al-Hilal for Mbappe, but the player rejected negotiations with the Saudi Pro League club, leaving his future still uncertain.
With PSG’s pursuit of Mbappe ongoing, the French giants have now set their sights on Dembele and sought permission from Barcelona to initiate discussions with the winger.
However, PSG had until the end of Monday to trigger Dembele’s €50m (£42.8m) release clause. It is believed that they met the deadline and now have five days to negotiate the transfer.
Dembele is said to have been made aware of PSG’s interest and has allegedly expressed his approval of the move to Paris, where he is expected to sign a five-year contract.
The winger is reportedly seeking a wage package between £5m (£4.3m) and £6m (£5.1m), an amount that Barcelona’s contract offer has fallen short of.
Despite Barcelona’s desire to retain Dembele, the winger’s rejection of their contract proposal has cast doubt on his future at the club.
While Sergi Roberto downplayed the possibility of Dembele leaving Camp Nou, head coach Xavi has not ruled out a potential summer departure for the French international.
Dembele’s journey with Barcelona began in 2017 when he joined from Borussia Dortmund for around €135m (£115.5m). Since then, he has made 185 appearances for the Catalan giants, contributing 40 goals and 43 assists in all competitions. During his time at the club, Dembele has celebrated seven trophies, including three La Liga titles.
In the recent pre-season, Dembele showcased his talents by scoring in Barcelona’s 3-0 victory over arch-rivals Real Madrid in Texas. As the new season approaches, fans wonder if he will be part of the team’s lineup in the upcoming encounter against AC Milan in Nevada.