Ousmane Dembélé arrived in Barcelona on Sunday to stay after having reached an agreement in principle with Barça to sign until 2024. Although both parties are finishing polishing some contractual details, Dembélé has already been seen this Tuesday afternoon by the sports city to train with the group. Some stories of Aubameyang on Instagram revealed his presence in the dressing room sitting between his box office neighbors, Kessie and Umtiti. His continuity is expected to be made official this Wednesday after months of negotiations with many ups and downs.
Both parties have reached an agreement to close his new contract with a salary reduction of 40 percent of the fixed one with respect to his last link, which ended on June 30, so his continuity computes as a new signing. Fulfilling the incentives of the new contract could guarantee you end up receiving an amount close to the previous base salary. The club will not meet the high economic expectations requested by his representative, Moussa Sissoko, who asked for a high renewal premium.
The series has gone through several phases. In January, after the meetings between Sissoko and Barça failed to reach any agreement to continue, the director of football, Mateu Alemany, publicly announced that his agents “have not responded to our offer. Given this scenario, he and his agents have been informed that they must leave immediately. We expect a transfer before January 31.” The Frenchman, who flirted with PSG, did not reach an agreement. And Xavi (again) intervened to get him back after missing a League match and the Cup match in which Barça was eliminated against Athletic.
Despite the fact that it was a difficult month, the reality is that Dembélé is now a happy footballer and integrated into the squad. His environment ensures that his will has always been to continue and that he is very satisfied with being able to continue wearing the Barça shirt. The Blaugrana squad has also helped. Veterans like Piqué, Alba or Busquets, as well as youngsters like Pedri, spoke publicly in favor of his continuity and the arrival in January of his friend Aubameyang, with whom he coincided at Dortmund, also added. But it has been above all the confidence in him of the technical staff that has made the Frenchman’s will turn with respect to Barça in his fifth season.
Physically Dembélé has also improved. He has put the injuries behind him. Apart from having learned to listen better to his body, she has found in Dr. Ricard Pruna an understanding and efficient ally. Technically, from the sports city it is emphasized that Dembélé has evolved thanks to the videos to familiarize himself with the system and with the game model. Both aspects have been decisive in convincing him that his place is in Barcelona despite having much higher economic offers. Bayern, Chelsea and PSG were some of the clubs that were interested in the possible incorporation of him.
