Dembele gets Barca riot act: sign now or check out!

 

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said Ousmane Dembele is free to leave the club this month if he doesn’t renew his contract at Camp Nou.

Dembele, 24, is into the final six months of his deal with Barca and sources at the club have told ESPN they believe it would take a “miracle” for the France forward to commit to new terms now

“The situation with Ousmane is difficult,” Xavi said in a news conference Wednesday. “The club have decided that if he doesn’t renew, we will have to look for a solution.

“[Director of football] Mateu Alemany has been in talks with the player and his agent for five months. It’s been too long now. Either he renews or we look for a solution.”

Dembele’s representative Moussa Sissoko said Tuesday Barca had threatened to send Dembele to the stands for the final six months of his contract if he refused to sign an extension.

Xavi, who had to ask journalists to limit their questions on Dembele, said sending Demebele to the stands is not a solution.

“That is not something that I am contemplating,” he added. “Either he renews or we look for an exit. It is one thing or the other.”

Xavi repeated that Dembele has told him he wants to stay at Barcelona, but the club have been unable to strike an agreement with Sissoko, who said he has “certain demands” that Barca have been unwilling to compromise on.

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Sources at Barca have told ESPN they hope for a resolution as soon as possible. On Thursday, Barca travel to Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey and Dembele’s participation is likely to depend on how the situation evolves over the next 24 hours.

“We will decide [on Thursday] if Dembele is involved,” Xavi said. “It depends on many factors. The club will make a decision.”