Why is Xavi Hernández asking Ousmane Dembélé to stay at Barça?

BarcelonaFrenetic activity in the Barça offices. On the one hand, the executives of the economic area and the legal department of the club are working in a network to be in a position to finally announce the closure of the first lever, the sale of 10% of the television rights to finish the ‘exercise 2022/23 in positive. On the other hand, those responsible for sports planning are in a hurry to make decisions a week before the start of the preseason. Xavi Hernández has been able to spend a few holidays, and this Monday he went to the Joan Gamper Sports City to take part directly in the rush end of the soap opera about the future of Ousmane Dembélé, a plot that is about to satisfy the wishes of both the coach, always a supporter of the renewal of the French winger, and the player himself, whose priority has always been follow the Camp Nou.

Dembélé ends his contract as a Barça player this Thursday and, as ARA reported last week, all indications are that the outcome of the series will be by pure elimination. In other words, given the lack of astronomical proposals from other teams, the striker takes a strong position to defend his will, which is to stay at Barça, where he has been playing since 2017. His head coach, Moussa Sissoko, wanted to get rich with the renovation – asking for 45 million signing bonus– and he has not succeeded. His only victory has been to exhaust the current contract. And now, with no room to tighten the rope, he has no choice but to consider the offer of minimums presented to him by Mateu Alemany at the request of Xavi, according to RAC1 and ARA has been able to confirm. In fact, the updated clause offered by Barça today entails lower amounts than those of the proposal that Dembélé rejected months ago. There is also no renewal premium as such, but a modest bonus that would be prorated during the years of contract. The strategy is similar to that followed by the football director with Sergi Roberto, who ended up signing a new commitment until 2023 with a reduction in emoluments of more than 50%.

Xavi Hernández wants extremes to play attached to the band, and Dembélé is the only one available or future who meets this condition

If Alemany made the effort to resume negotiations with the Reus midfielder it was because of Xavi’s insistence. It’s the same thing that happens now with Dembélé, a vital footballer in the coach’s plans. In both cases there were 100% sporting arguments. If Xavi has asked for Roberto’s continuity, it is because he considers that he understands the position game and his profile fits with the constructive vocation – with the spirit of a midfielder – that he expects from the sides. And if he presses for Mosquit to continue at Barça, it is because he is the only available or future winger who plays comfortably open to the band. “We don’t have any others that go outside,” they admit from Sant Joan Despí. And it is true. The forwards adaptable to the band in the squad – Ferran Torres, Ansu Fati and Memphis Depay – usually play with a changed leg. And those that have sounded like possible reinforcements –Raphinha Dias and Di María–, too. Both are left-handers playing open on the right. That is, in the direction of the goal and not the sideline.

Di Maria, captain of Juventus

Precisely Raphinha connects with the second big reason why Xavi has asked for a last effort to retain Dembélé. Leeds United, the English club he belongs to, are asking for a minimum of 50 million euros to transfer him. If there were no more goals in the market apart from strengthening the band, and especially if Barça’s economy were solid, the coach would not put any impact on the investment. But as the club’s situation is complicated and the squad needs tweaks on all fronts, he prefers resources to be devoted to the incorporation of a proven striker like Robert Lewandowski or a level midfielder. In his head, re-signing Dembélé – technically so, as the new contract will have to be signed – is more affordable than investing a significant amount for Raphinha, who is linked with Leeds until 2024.

The probable continuity of the Mosquito also cools the arrival of Ángel Di María as a free agent after ending his contractual bond with PSG. Although the Argentine had been waiting for Barça in recent weeks, it is now clear that he will have to accept Juventus’ offer to continue his career. Seconds Jijantesthe Barça executive president, Joan Laporta, is the one who has definitively stopped an option that was affordable (at zero cost) and compatible with the permanence of Ousmane Dembélé in the team.