The French winger has published a furious statement after the recent developments of his contract standoff with Barcelona.
Barcelona have dropped Ousmane Dembele from their squad ahead of their upcoming Copa del Rey match against Athletic Bilbao. On Thursday, the club’s sporting director Matteo Alemany accused Dembele of lack of commitment, saying he must leave this January.
The French winger responded by publishing a lengthy, insisting he trusts his agent to handle the situation with the club.
He wrote on Instagram: “I forbid anyone to speak in my place, in place of my agent, who I have complete confidence in,
“I am still under contract, fully at the disposal of my club and my coach.
“I am not a man who cheats and even less a man who has a habit of giving in to blackmail. Surely, love is a kind of blackmail. There are negotiations. I let my agent handle it, it is his turf.
“My field is football, simply playing football, sharing moments of joy with my team-mates, our supporters. Let’s focus on the essentials – winning.”
Dembele still has six months on his current Barcelona contract. Barcelona are keen to avoid a free departure by selling the 24-year-old this winter. However, finding suitors will be tough since clubs can now directly negotiate with the players’ representatives.
“The message is clear. Ousmane Dembele has to sign a new contract or we find a way to sell him in January. No other way,” Xavi said in a press conference on January 19.
“It is not contemplated that he stays in the stands. I have been very clear with Ousmane.”
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