Barcelona tell Ousmane Dembele to decide future by next month

The summer transfer window was unlike any other; see all the major deals and check out how we graded the biggest signings. And just because the window is shut until January, that doesn’t mean the rumours won’t keep coming. Here is the latest gossip and speculation.

TOP STORY: Barca put Dembele on deadline

The Barcelona hierarchy are giving winger Ousmane Dembele a month to decide over his contract situation, according to Calciomercato.

The 24-year-old is out-of-contract in the summer and is asking for a rise in his salary from €12 million to €20m.

The report claims that the France international could decide on a move away from the club, with the Premier League cited as a probable option. Dembele has previously been linked with a move to Manchester United and Liverpool once his deal expires.

The hierarchy’s decision comes just a day after they relieved manager Ronald Koeman of his duties. The club currently sit in ninth, with sources telling ESPN that former Camp Nou legend Xavi Hernandez is the favourite to take over the vacancy.

Dembele moved to the Catalan club from Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth over €140m in 2017. However, he has struggled since with a string of injuries plaguing him, including a hamstring that has limited his season.

Since the switch from the Bundesliga, Dembele has only managed 81 league appearances with 18 goals and 14 assists. He has won trophies in that time though, winning two LaLiga titles, two Copa del Rey medals and a Spanish Super Cup. He also managed to break into the France national team, winning the World Cup in Russia in 2018.

The clock is now ticking for the winger, with Barcelona set to potentially lose another highly rated player on a free transfer in the summer.

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