The renewal of Barca and Dembele's contract has reached a complete stalemate. On January 17, The World Sport broke the news that Barca gave Dembele the last 48 hours of "ultimatum time" - if Dembele does not respond again, Barca will sell the French winger for the remaining days of the winter window!
In the summer of 2017, Barca brought in Dembele from Borussia Dortmund for 150 million euros as a stand-in for Neymar. For 4 and a half years, Dembele has been associated with injuries and has failed to cash in on its talents. However, Barca boss Xavi has a high opinion of Dembele, saying he "has the ability to be the best in the world for a winger position".
Dembele's contract with Barca expires this summer, and Barca want Dembele to renew his contract with a pay cut. However, Dembele's agent, Moussa Sissoko, released bizarre demands through the media: a salary of 200 million euros for 5 years, a commission of 20 million euros for the broker, and a renewal bonus of 30 million euros. Obviously, this is a condition that Barca cannot accept.
A few days ago, after the match between Barca and Real Madrid in the Western Super Cup, Barca's football director Alemani said: "Dembele's problem will be solved soon. "Whether it's a renewal or a purge, there will be a clear answer. RAC1's Barca correspondent Romero confirmed Dembele was not satisfied with the conditions offered by the club.
The World Sports newspaper confirmed from Barca club sources that Dembele and agent Moussa Sissoko have not yet officially responded to Barca's contract extension (the agent's request, only released through the media) - although, most likely, it will be a refusal to renew. However, Barca have shown a tough stance: within 48 hours, whether positive or negative, Dembele must respond.
For Barca, the winter window sale of Dembele is the ideal solution. First, Dembele's departure can free up salary space (nearly 20 million euros before tax) for the registration of new signings who may join; second, Barca can also get a transfer fee to minimize losses as much as possible. If Dembele leaves this summer, Barca will have lost both their money.
According to The World Sports newspaper, there are many clubs that want Dembele: Manchester United, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle, Juve, Paris Saint-Germain... However, these clubs only want Dembele visa-free this summer, offering high salaries and signing fees. Whether Dembele is going or staying, there is a high probability that after 48 hours there will be an answer - if Dembele ignores Barca's ultimatum, the winter window transfer will undoubtedly go.