Barcelona: Joan Laporta makes a worrying claim about Dembele

The Barcelona winger has turned down a new contract offer and didn’t leave before Monday’s transfer deadline.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta suspects that winger Ousmane Dembele has already found a new club for next season.

The 24-year-old Frenchman’s current deal runs until the summer. With the winter transfer window closed, Barcelona can no longer sell him. Therefore, he can join a new club for next season as a free agent – much to Laporta’s dismay.

After failing to convince Dembele to sign a new deal, the president and his board tried to make him leave before Monday’s transfer deadline amid interest from an unnamed Premier League club.

Laporta annoyed that Dembele a-turned down renewal offer and b-rejected late proposal from PL, but he is holding back when it comes to Qs about him playing for Barça again. Seems clear he doesn't want to position on that in case Xavi wants / needs OD in the run in

— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) February 1, 2022

“We made him [Dembele] a very good renewal offer,” said Laporta during a press conference on Tuesday as per Marca.

“The player said no, first alleging that it was not a money issue, but then he focused on the economic aspect. The agent did not tell us anything, and that has consequences for the club.

“I am very surprised that he did not accept a proposal he had from an English club. He did not want to. It did not make sense, because it was not good for him or for the club. He would have allowed us to work with more tranquillity in the market.

“The Dembele issue is difficult to understand. Dembele is in the team and Xavi [Hernandez] has to build a competitive squad with players who have a future at this club.

“We think that Dembele already has a contract with another club; they have insinuated that to us. What we will do is defend the interests of the club.”