Ousmane Dembele frustrated Barcelona by refusing to consider Tottenham’s interest, with the La Liga side convinced he is joining Manchester United or Juventus in a free transfer.
That’s according to Sport, who report Dembele and his representatives’ attitude ‘absolutely outraged’ the Blaugrana last month. The Camp Nou hierarchy feel the winger’s entourage was stringing them along during negotiations over a new contract just to buy more time.
Then, at the end of the window and with little time to negotiate a transfer, they informed the Catalan outfit he would not be signing a new deal. Barcelona lament the strategy they used, but above all deplore Dembele’s refusal to consider a late transfer to Tottenham.
Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain all moved to sign Dembele from Barcelona in the final days of the transfer window. But the forward’s camp refused to entertain talks – as the Blaugrana suspect he and his agent, Moussa Sissoko, have also done to other sides.
Sissoko outright rejected to hold talks in the last hours of deadline day despite clubs tabling important contract offers. Marca also report Dembele has since rejected Barcelona’s offer of terminating his contract immediately. He will now stay until June, but is unlikely to play.
Barcelona feel pre-contract behind Dembele refusal to consider Tottenham transfer
Barcelona are convinced Dembele refused to negotiate any move as he has already agreed a free transfer to either Manchester United or Juventus for when his contract ends in June.
Manchester United, coincidently, were not among the clubs battling Tottenham for a last-gasp January transfer to sign Dembele from Barcelona. Juventus also ruled out signing the Blaugrana’s £97m rising to £135.5m arrival from Borussia Dortmund in the winter market.
Barcelona also sense Dembele relies too much on Sissoko and has done whatever the agent has asked in recent weeks. As while the winger assures the club he wants to stay, has not lowered his requests at all. Foot Mercato note he wants €40m-a-year (£640k-a/w) gross.
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