Xavi insists Dembele must decide future now or leave Barcelona
Martin Macdonald
- 19 Jan 2022 12:36 GMT
- 3 min read
Barcelona head coach Xavi insists that Ousmane Dembele must make a decision on his future now or leave the club in the January transfer window.
Dembele's contract with the Camp Nou side expires in June of 2022, and the club are facing the real possibility of losing a player that they signed for an initial €105 million for nothing.
The Frenchman's representatives and Barca have been locked in talks for months now, though the latest round of negotiations reportedly broke down due to Dembele's exorbitant wage demands.
Barcelona's current financial situation is so poor that they will actively seek to sell Dembele in January in order to get some kind of transfer fee back, rather than allowing him to go for free in the summer.
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It is due to that reason that the club are so desperate for Dembele to finally make a decision.
Xavi, who has been supportive of Dembele recently, appears to be losing his patience with the forward.
"What I can say is that we are in a complex and difficult situation," the Barcelona coach told reporters.
"The club has decided that if he does not renew, we have to make a decision with him. It's not easy, but Mateu Alemany [sporting director] has been negotiating with his representative for five months and we can't wait any longer, either he renews or we make a decision"
"I have been very honest with him, it is not an easy situation, but a decision must be made. The first thing is the interests of the club, that must be clear."
Will Dembele be sent to the stands?
If Dembele does decide not to renew, Barca will be left with a wantaway player for the next six months.
There was speculation that Xavi could banish Dembele to the stands for the remainder of the current campaign, but the Spaniard says that won't be happening.
"Sending him to the stands is not contemplated, either he renews or a way out is sought for him," Xavi insisted.
"We have been very clear, especially me, the situation is not understood, he wants to renew, but they do not decide.
"And you can't wait any longer, or one thing or the other. He has the upper hand, but that doesn't include the option of sending him to the stands."
