Barcelona are still working on a new contract for Ousmane Dembélé.
Dembélé is set to see his contract expire in the summer having penned a five-year deal upon his arrival in 2017.
Barca have been keen to offer the winger a new deal for some time, but their efforts have been renewed after new boss Xavi Hernandez‘s comments on Dembélé.
Xavi said: “Dembele in his position can be the best player in the world. He has to be a world class player.
“It’s important to have a winning mentality and consistency. We have to help him.”
Clearly, the new Barca boss is keen to keep the 24-year-old, but efforts have been slow thus far.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Dembélé’s agent continues to delay and put off the offers made by the club.
It’s believed Dembélé will see his base salary reduced given the fitness issues he has suffered and the financial crisis Barcelona find themselves in.
It has been suggested that Barca’s latest offer has come with a number of bonuses that would allow Dembélé to make up the lost money, depending on how much he plays.
But progress is very slow and time is running out. From January 1, Dembélé will be able to agree a pre-contract agreement with any club outside Spain.
That might have Barca sitting uncomfortably, though it is expected the winger wants to stay at Camp Nou, so there should be time to get this deal ironed out.
