Barcelona believe in Ousmane Dembele and want to extend the Frenchman’s contract beyond its current expiration date in the summer of 2022 according to Mundo Deportivo. Dembele is back at the Ciutat Esportiva de Sant Joan Despi, training alone to recover from the injury he sustained representing France at Euro 2020, and will meet the club next week to discuss his future.
Mateo Alemany, director of football, and Ramon Planes, the club’s technical secretary, plan on making clear that Barcelona believe Dembele could be an important part of their future. The last thing they want is for the forward, who cost the club €105m plus €40m in variables when they signed him from Borussia Dortmund in 2017, to leave on a free transfer when his contract expires.
Barcelona are currently furiously trying to lower their wage bill and free up the funds they need to register their new signings and renew Lionel Messi’s contract. Given that selling Dembele this summer is impossible due to his injury, it’s an absolute priority for Joan Laporta and his men to lock him down to protect his value. Laporta, especially, is thought to really value Dembele’s quality.
