Barcelona players dumbfounded by Ousmane Dembele’s PSG exit – ‘We have given him everything’

Barcelona veterans Sergi Roberto and Marcos Alonso have admitted their total shock at Ousmane Dembele’s impending departure from the club.

News broke late last week that Paris Saint-Germain were interested in him, and by Tuesday evening on the ground in Las Vegas, Manager Xaiv Hernandez had confirmed he would leave.

“It’s a shame. He’s a very important player for us. He’s been around for many years, he was very loved by the team. We’re sad, but we have to keep going, we have a great team and we can compete against anyone,” Roberto told Relevo.

Xavi had admitted that he was disappointed in Dembele’s decision, and it was a feeling Roberto shared.

“Yes. In the end, when you love a person, it feels a bit bad for them to decide another option. It’s a job and each person decides what is best for them. He will have his reasons. Here we have given him everything and he knows he was a player important to us. We wish he had stayed, I wish him the best.”

As much as the decision itself, the surprise in Barcelona has been at the timing. For many of the past six years of his career in Catalonia, there were reasons for a departure, but this year he seemed more likely to stay.

“He is not a player who talks a lot. We were all reading that he was probably leaving, but we did not know 100% the decision he had made. A pity, wish him the best because he is a good teammate, a good friend. This team will put what let him get ahead.”

“There were no indications. Nobody knew anything until it started showing up in the press. He was very important to us and we hoped he would stay, like last year. He was very happy at Barca. We didn’t know anything.”

Meanwhile Alonso revealed to Sport that he too was completely taken aback by the move.

“I’m a bit removed from the whole thing. Ousmane hadn’t told the players anything. Until it’s official, he’s another one of us in the dressing room and we’ll see what happens. He’s an important player, but we have to look ahead. We have a very good squad, we have to all go together in the same direction.”

Barcelona appear to be doing just that, already they are planning on how to use the potential and surprise income from Dembele. Xavi has made his priorities clear to the club.