Tuesday, November 30, 2021 at 2:03 PM• Jordi Tomasowa • Last update: 14:13

Barcelona demands clarity from Ousmane Dembele about his future at the club in the short term. The attacker, who has an important part in Xavi’s plans, has still not renewed his contract expiring in 2022, which means that a transfer-free departure is looming. The attacker’s French side have informed the club that a January transfer is not an option for him, forcing Barcelona to hurry.

According to Sport Barcelona has increased the pressure on Dembele and his agents to sign the latest offer. The paper knows that new talks are planned this week that could be all-decisive when it comes to the attacker’s future. In the meantime, Dembele’s environment has made it clear to Barca that a transfer in January is not an option if they do not reach an agreement with the club on the extension of his contract. This was an alternative for Barcelona, ​​because in this case the club can still earn something from the Frenchman, who was brought to the Camp Nou in 2017 for 130 million euros.

Dembele will be free to talk to other clubs from January 1, giving him a good negotiating position vis-à-vis Barca. Dembélé’s agents are now threatening a transfer-free departure in the summer of 2022 in order to get a more favorable salary for their client. However, Barcelona has indicated that there is no more room to negotiate. The club has already improved the first proposal, while the club is in an extremely difficult financially package. In front of los Azulgrana It is very important to bind Dembele to the club longer, as he is seen by Xavi as an important link. The Frenchman himself is not unsympathetic to a longer stay, but has not yet put his signature.

Dembele has not yet been able to make a significant contribution to Barcelona on the pitch this season. The attacker suffered a knee injury at the European Championship last summer and subsequently had to undergo surgery. At the beginning of November, after 164 days, he made his comeback for Barça in the Champions League match against Dynamo Kiev (1-0 win). His return was short-lived, however, as he struggled with a hamstring injury. Last week he was brought in as a substitute by Xavi against Benfica and Villarreal.