Guillem Balagué has shared that the transfer saga around Newcastle and Arsenal target, Ousmane Dembélé, is ‘very strange’, as he told his own YouTube channel.
Signed for nearly £100 million (Sky Sports), the Barcelona man is proving to be one of the club’s worst signings and biggest ever losses given his current situation.
As things stand, the 24-year-old, who is on Newcastle and Arsenal’s radar, is heading for the Nou Camp exit door on a free transfer in the summer.
Understandably, those in the Barcelona boardroom don’t want that to happen because they want him either moved on this month or the winger to sign a new deal at the club.
Barcelona’s sporting director, Mateu Alemany, has urged Dembélé, to ‘leave the club as soon as possible’ given his refusal to sign a new contract, as quoted by the Mirror.
And the player has released a statement, after being left out of the club’s previous matchday squad, that he is not going to ‘give into any kind of blackmail’.
All of this was touched upon by Balagué and the absolute mess surrounding Dembélé’s situation.
“They had the explosive words from the club and Dembele as well about his future,” said Balagué. “Very strange, I feel that Barcelona have actually tried to push that line.
“Barcelona have decided to go a different way. They want to be a victim of this stance, forgetting that both sides signed a contract and Dembélé has a right not to renew his contract.
“It’s one of those situations, where I think Barcelona are playing a poker game. Come February 1st, they are trying to get him on loan somewhere. Manchester United said ‘no, we are not the team that will have him on loan now’.
“It seems, according to Barcelona, that Dembélé has a team for next season. Quite clearly, he is looking for an exit into the Premier League, but for next season.”
It will be interesting to see what the likes of Arsenal and Newcastle make of this all and whether they will be put off by it.
It would be a surprise if Arsenal pushed for him because they aren’t the type of club to throw so much money at a player.
Whilst those at St James’ Park could do with Dembélé’s talents, and could pay his ridiculously high wages, but probably not in this current situation.
Eddie Howe needs players that are going to hit the ground running and be up for the relegation fight.
Dembélé hasn’t been in that type of situation before, and given everything that is happening around the player, they are probably better off re-visiting such a situation in the summer if they are still a Premier League club and if he is a free transfer.
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