French winger Ousmane Dembele doesn’t have much time left to decide whether he’ll sign a new contract with Barcelona or leave as a free agent in the summer. According to a report from Italian media outlet Calciomercato, the La Liga powerhouse gave Dembele a “one-month deadline” to decide on his future.
Reportedly, the biggest obstacle in the negotiations between the two sides is Dembele’s request for a huge pay rise. The 24-year-old is asking $23 million annually as part of his new deal, which would almost double his current $13.8 million yearly salary. On the other hand, Barca is willing to up his earnings but isn’t prepared to meet his demands all the way.
In case Dembele doesn’t strike an agreement with the Catalan club, he can negotiate with other clubs starting January 1st. There is a significant interest in his services from Premier League clubs like Liverpool and Manchester United, and he wouldn’t have a hard time getting someone to give him the money he asks for.
Ousmane Dembele became one of the world’s most expensive players when he joined Barcelona in 2017 in a transfer worth $121 million-plus add-ons from Borussia Dortmund. Four years later, it is safe to say that Dembele never justified the money invested in him. While he had several stretches during which he seemed like one of the best young players in the world, the Frenchman frequently dealt with injuries and struggled to be consistent when on the field.
Dembele played 118 games in Barca’s jersey during his time at Camp Nou. He scored 18 goals in La Liga and contributed 12 more in other competitions.
