Ousmane Dembele has a new grin on his face. He returned to the club on Sunday night, scoring and assisting against Athletic Club, after a month of stress, confrontation with Barcelona, and being sidelined.
His performance has reignited speculation about whether he would extend his contract beyond the summer, but there are several roadblocks in the way.
Dembele’s performance
Since taking over in November, Xavi Hernandez has been one of the Frenchman’s most ardent fans, and he is happy to be able to call on him once more. The club’s management hopes that he can build on his previous success and demonstrate some consistency by playing a pivotal role for the remainder of the season.
The club is keeping an eye on his performance level and whether he continues injury-free for the rest of the season, so neither party is hurrying to arrange a new deal.
Contract talks haven’t begun since they broke down in January, and no date for a meeting between the club and the players’ agents has been arranged. This matter appears to be rectified by the conclusion of the season, therefore patience will be required.
Differing viewpoints
A basic economic disparity between the club and the player is also thrown into the equation, as Joan Laporta alluded to on Sunday. Laporta said: “We hope that [Dembele] will reconsider his position.”
The club’s most recent offer did not match the 24-year-standards, old’s and he is also hoping for a long-term agreement, even though the club has stated that it cannot afford to grant a long-term contract with a large wage. To address this dilemma, both parties must work together.
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