Chelsea

Chelsea

Premier League • England

Chelsea target has final contract offer on table as Barcelona make stance clear

Ousmane Dembele Barcelona February 2022

Barcelona have placed the future of Ousmane Dembele in the hands of the striker after president Joan Laporta admitted the offer of a new contract was still on the table.

Dembele, 24, is out of contract in the summer and can leave on a free transfer. Barcelona are understood to have been keen to offload the France star in January and Chelsea and PSG were keen. However, neither club could get a deal over the line for the player, who was an initial £96.8m signing from Borussia Dortmund in 2017.

Chelsea are set to go all out to land the player this summer, with Sport insisting the Blues had ditched interest in Serge Gnabry to go after Dembele again. 

The winger has not lived up to expectations in Catalonia, but he has been reintegrated back into the team in recent weeks. He has featured in the last three LaLiga games, starting the 4-1 win over Valencia.

Dembele then came off the bench and scored his first goal of the season before adding two assists in the 4-0 win over Athletic.

Xavi, who has been happy to work with Dembele, was asked about the winger after the match.

“This is not my business. In football nothing can be ruled out. It is a matter for Dembélé and the club, what I am is happy with him because he is a professional,” said the Barca coach.


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Dembele ‘knows our offer’

“He has made the difference. I see many conditions. Today we have seen the Dembélé that we want and that we all want.”

 

While, Laporta has firmly put the ball into the court of Dembele. And he has hinted the club will not increase their renewal offer.

Laporta said: “Dembele knows our offer and knows that we always wanted him to stay. We hope he will think again at the end of the season.

“I’ve always said it, for me he’s one of the best in his position. And we’ll see what happens at the end of the season. For now let’s focus on this season, we have a lot to say both in the Europa League and in the league.

“In football, you can never rule anything out. Look, he could not play and now he plays, and he plays well. But his contract extension does not depend on me.”

READ MORE: Chelsea turn to surprise Man Utd goalkeeper target in bid to replace wantaway Kepa Arrizabalaga