Ferran Torres has told Ousmane Dembele there is ‘no better club’ for him than Barcelona, via AS, with Tottenham chiefs reportedly considering a transfer as contract talks continue.
Dembele has less than three months remaining on his terms at the Camp Nou and is free to leave this summer. The Blaugrana would like to keep the Frenchman in Catalunya past the current campaign. But the La Liga giant’s delicate finances restrict what they can offer.
According to Sport, Barcelona’s troubles are so severe that Xavi Hernandez’s side can only present a deal worth around a third of Dembele’s current pay. As such, it is highly unlikely he puts pen to paper. Barcelona also fear he has already signed a pre-contract elsewhere.
Dembele is a very important part of Xavi’s plans, so Barca met his agent Moussa Sissoko in Morocco on Monday. Blaugrana director of football Mateu Alemany is directing the club’s talks. But Dembele wants his status and performances reflected in the wage he is offered.
Sissoko has told Barcelona that Dembele still wants the €20m-a-season (£320k-a/w) salary they have refused to pay, per Foot Mercato. Dembele believes he has Ballon d’Or potential and has a verbal agreement to join PSG. But Tottenham are also paying close attention.
Torres tells Tottenham target Dembele there’s ‘no better club’ than Barcelona
Dembele convinced Barcelona to re-open contract talks as the Tottenham transfer target has thrived under Xavi since the winter market. The 24-year-old has scored one goal, but more impressively has offered eight assists over seven La Liga games. He only started five.
His creative run includes two assists in El Clasico to beat Real Madrid 4-0, before creating to beat Sevilla 1-0. The Camp Nou outfit now sit second in La Liga despite all their troubles.
Torres, who joined Barcelona for £46.5m in this January, now encourages Dembele’s next move to be committing his future with a new contract, snubbing transfer interest from the likes of Tottenham and PSG. But he notes, via Mundo Deportivo, the decision is Dembele’s.
“I would kidnap him here in Barcelona,” he joked. “He is a differential player, this is a good club to be at. But in the end, it is his decision. What he decides is what is best for him.”
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