Barcelona are said to be working to renew Ousmane Dembele‘s contract according to Mundo Deportivo.
The Frenchman’s current deal runs until June 2022, and the ambition on the part of the Catalan club is to agree a new deal before the player enters into his final season.
Negotiations are at the early stages. Both parties have been in contract and Dembele’s camp are said to be open to negotiation, but there’s not yet been a formal offer.
A declaration of intent on the part of the player’s camp has been what’s put off the negotiation until now, and Ansu Fati‘s recent injury has strengthened the urgency on the part of Barcelona to tie the winger down. Manchester United are said to hold an interest in him.
Dembele, for his part, appreciates that Barcelona want to extend his deal but also wants time to consider it, his only focus right now being returning to top physical condition.
Fati’s absence means that he’ll take on an important role in the months to come, and anyway the prospect of any club paying the €40m or €50m fee Barcelona would demand for his services is remote in a post-COVID world.
Negotiations are expected to begin in earnest after the new board is elected on January 24th.
Still just 23, Dembele was born in France to a father from Mauritania and a mother who was French but of Senegalese and Mauritanian descent.
He came through the youth system at Rennes before joining Borussia Dortmund, and in 2017 made the move to Camp Nou.
Dembele has suffered from successive injuries in recent times but looks to be on the road to recovery. In Barcelona’s last outing, a 5-2 defeat of Real Betis, he looked marvellous and scored a stunning goal.
Featured image courtesy of Bleacher Report.
