Dembele Unconvinced By Chelsea Contract Offer, Increasing Chance Of FC Barcelona Stay

Ousmane Dembele has not been convinced by Chelsea’s contract offer, which increases his chances of staying at FC Barcelona.

The Frenchman becomes a free agent on June 30, when the five-year contract he signed upon joining the Catalans on a €105mn ($111mn) deal from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 expires.

With his agent Moussa Sissoko playing hardball in negotiations and reportedly demanding exorbitant bonuses and signing-on fees, plus an inflated salary, it was previously thought that the World Cup winner would walk on a free transfer next Thursday as a list of clubs line up to snatch him away from Camp Nou.

While Paris Saint Germain and Bayern Munich are two other names, Chelsea have been the outfit strongest-linked to the 25-year-old with some outlets claiming that he has already met their coach Thomas Tuchel who he knows from their Dortmund days together.

According to SPORT on Sunday, however, Dembele and his camp are disappointed by Chelsea’s offer, which he has not given an affirmative answer to yet.

They thought that the proposal would be far more attractive, but a simultaneous approach for Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling by the west Londoners looks to have reduced Dembele’s potential earnings leaving “everything up in the air”.

Chelsea are said to have offered Dembele a four-year contract, which Mundo Deportivo claims would pay him €8mn ($8.5mn) a year. And though higher than the salary cash-strapped Barca can offer, it is still lower than expected for a free agent arriving at a PremierPINC
League giant without a transfer fee.

A generous signing-on bonus could make a difference, but that too is thought to be below what Sissoko demanded for his charge.

Due to these developments, Dembele has been left to wonder whether it is worth switching allegiances as he is already happy and comfortable in Barcelona.

After hearing Chelsea’s offer, Dembele is said to have contacted first team coach Xavi Hernandez with the intent of getting Barca to up theirs.

As president Joan Laporta and director of football Mateu Alemany have insisted in public on numerous occasions, however, Barca’s package put on the table at the turn of 2022, when Dembele was allowed to start negotiating with potential suitors, is final.

One thing that Barca and Chelsea share is that they both want Dembele to make his mind up quick so that they can plan their squads for the upcoming season.

Should Dembele walk, Leeds United winger Raphinha is Barca’s top transfer target to replace him on the right wing.