The two remaining avenues of pressure Barcelona will use to try and keep Ousmane Dembele

Originally posted on Football Espana | By Ruairidh Barlow | Last updated 7/31/23

Barcelona are on the verge of losing arguably their most dangerous forward in Ousmane Dembele for a price well below market value.

With the Frenchman seemingly unable to agree on a new contract with Barcelona anyway, Paris Saint-Germain are looking to make way with him by activating his release clause for €50m. Currently Dembele has a year left on his deal.

Within the club, it appears that Barcelona believe Dembele is a lost cause, with Monday the decisive day. Esport3 report that the Blaugrana will try two lost forms of pressure in order to try and keep Dembele.

The player needs to decide if they’ll pay the €50m to transfer, if he’ll stay or force an agreed departure

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) July 30, 2023

Seemingly Dembele would rather that the two clubs reach a deal for him based on negotiations, as he does not want to leave the club on bad terms. Something they do not intend to allow.

That seems unlikely to have much of an effect. However Xavi Hernandez will have one final talk with Dembele to try and get him to stay. If anyone can, it might be Xavi. When all others at Barcelona were happy to see him out the door last season, Xavi stuck by Dembele, backed him in the face of adversity, and finally got something like the best of him.

All things considered, it still appears more likely he will leave. If it weren’t for the fact that negotiations between the two over a new contract were not going well, perhaps there would be a little more hope for the Blaugrana. Should reports that they are €6-7m apart on an agreement, then it is no surprise that Dembele is willing to leave in order to meet his desired terms.

This article first appeared on Football Espana and was syndicated with permission.

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