‘Wants to stay’: President claims his player doesn’t want Liverpool transfer

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has told Sport that reported Liverpool target Ousmane Dembele wants to stay.

Liverpool interest

Dembele has been linked with a move to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the summer of 2022.

TEAMtalk reported this month that Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards has told his bosses to get Dembele on a free transfer next summer.

The 24-year-old France international forward is out of contract at Barcelona at the end of the season.

Barcelona president Laporta, though, has claimed that Dembele wants to stay at Camp Nou.

Laporta told Sport about Dembele: “There’s a really good relationship with him, we’re speaking with his agent.

“Ousmane wants to stay. He’s a player we like, someone who can be fundamental in the team’s improvement.

“That’s how the coach sees it. If injuries respect him. We always knew that he was in the final year of his deal.”

It would be a huge financial loss for Barcelona if Dembele leaves on a free next summer.

After all, the La Liga club paid an initial £96.8 million for the Frenchman in the summer of 2017.

However, we think that there is a chance that Dembele could join Liverpool.

The Frenchman will know that he will command a bigger salary if he moves to another club on a free transfer next summer.

Now, if the forward was absolutely determined to stay at Barcelona, then he would have signed a new deal by now.

In our view, since no new contract has been signed yet, Dembele is not 100% keen on staying at Barcelona and is open to an exit.