The future of Ousmane Dembele is still unclear. The Frenchman's contract with Barcelona is up in the summer and, even though countless rumors have been swirling around, there are no signs about what's next for him.
The Catalans made Dembele their record signing in the summer of 2017, when they bagged a mind-blowing €140 million to acquire him from Borussia Dortmund. Things haven't gone exactly as expected at first, as the injury-prone winger struggled to perform.
However, the outlook has changed since Xavi Hernandez took over. Under the new boss, Dembele improved his level and proved why he might be worth the money invested in him five years ago. But his contract is up next month and he seems to have more lucrative offers away from Spain.
Ousmane Dembele draws interest from European giants willing to pay €72m deal
While Xavi and Joan Laporta are working against the clock to tie him down to a new deal, the 25-year-old star has already been linked with a number of European heavyweights. One of them seems to be willing to go all in for him.
According to L'Equipe, Bayern Munich are ready to offer Dembele a four-year, €72 million contract to sign him for free at the end of the season. This massive deal would see him make €18m per year.
The report claims that the Bavarians want him not only because of his potential free agent status or his talent but also because contract talks with Serge Gnabry have stalled. German outlet Bild adds that Bayern have been following Dembele for a long time and now they're prepared to sign him. Julian Nagelsmann also seems to be an admirer of the French winger, whose performances have improved this season.
Joan Laporta says Ousmane Dembele has better offers on the table
Laporta explained that the club has already offered him an extension but that Dembele seems to be considering all options before making a decision. In fact, his camp let them knew he wanted to think about it until the end of the 2021-22.
“He wants to stay, but he is very tempted by other options that offer better conditions," Barcelona president Joan Laporta told Catalunya Radio, as quoted by Goal. "The offer has been presented for a long time and they have asked us for time until the end of the season, next week.
"We already wanted an answer before, but we can’t force it because Dembele ends his contract. The coach and I like him. We have made a very important effort to keep him. I see him very comfortable. There is a good personal relationship with everyone. [Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang] has come, with him and they are very good friends. He has some representatives who control the situation, but I hope he stays. If not, we will strengthen that position.”
