Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez confirmed the departure of Ousmane Dembele at the start of the month. Earlier this week, Mateu Alemany also suggested that the deal was done and dusted, following which the Frenchman flew to Paris to complete the operation.
However, the move is yet to be completed.
PSG are losing patience
In the midst of all this, Paris Saint-Germain are losing patience in the Dembele deal, reports Mundo Deportivo. The Spanish news outlet suggests PSG are not playing around. If the club fail to sign the player in the next 24 hours, they will consider signing the attacker next year on a free transfer.
Barcelona, for their part, have not authorised the transfer just yet. If the Catalans do not act fast, they could end up losing the player for free next year. Dembele’s current contract at Camp Nou expires in 2024, meaning the time is running out for Barcelona to sanction his departure.
What should be Barça’s play here?
It is apparent that Barcelona have the option to keep hold of Dembele for another year, provided the player is also on board with that option. However, as things stand, getting rid of the Frenchman might be the more sensible option.
Although the former Borussia Dortmund starlet is a valued commodity in the Barcelona team and for Xavi Hernandez, his sale could bring in some much-needed revenue for the club.
Barça desperately require the revenue to not only sign a replacement but also register the new signings they have made so far this summer. The Catalans have recently freed up €9 million in Financial Fair Play margin by sanctioning the exit of Franck Kessie. Selling Dembele, to that end, could help the club further ease their balance sheets.
