FC Barcelona have kickstarted their efforts to tie down Ousmane Dembele to a new contract. The two parties were locked in negotiations back in January, but the attacker’s exorbitant demands had left the board puzzled.
Since then, Dembele has enjoyed a swift turnaround, with the attacker being involved in nine goals in the last seven league matches.
He has played a critical role in Barcelona’s renaissance under Xavi this year, with the forward even starring in the 4-0 win over Real Madrid, bagging two assists.
Dembele’s form has compelled Barcelona to restart contract talks. The player himself is believed to be keen on prolonging his stay at Camp Nou and has a good relationship with Xavi.
However, according to a recent report from Onze TV3, Barcelona are not fully confident of their chances of tying Dembele down to a new contract, primarily due to the huge finances involved in the operation.
Although the Frenchman is keen on staying beyond the summer, he is still demanding a lucrative contract.
It has made the operation quite tricky, as Barça are currently experiencing a financial crisis and will be wary of spending lavishly on player wages, especially in light of their spending limit being reduced to a negative figure by La Liga.
Barcelona have struggled in the past by handing out lucrative contracts to players such as Philippe Coutinho and Antoine Griezmann. It has created a sense of pessimism within the camp when it comes to the renewal of Dembele.
Xavi has given his order of priority when it comes to player renewals, with Dembele topping the list. But as the attacker continues to hold out for a lucrative deal, a renewal might only be a distant dream for the Catalans.
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