PSG Announce Completed FC Barcelona Star Dembele Transfer

Paris Saint-Germain have announced the signing of now ex-FC Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele through a set of social media posts.

The move came out of nowhere this summer, but should have been no surprise to the Catalans considering the poorly-negotiated terms of his contract extension in 2022.

With the five-year deal Dembele signed at Camp Nou when joining from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 having already expired, the World Cup winner signed until June 30,2024.

This meant that he would have been free to walk for nothing in under a year’s time, but there was also a paltry €50 million ($55 million) release clause attached to his terms that is pocket change for a state-backed club like PSG which has the financial might of Qatar behind it.

Dembele was lured by the promise of €20 million ($22 million) a year, which Barca cannot afford, on a five-season deal.

Another incentive for Dembele to switch allegiances was the fact that he and his agent Moussa Sissoko could could pocket half of that fee.

Barca are currently disputing the share of the money, arguing that Dembele’s camp didn’t meet all the required incentives.

But still, the transfer has been allowed to go ahead with PSG reportedly issuing Barca a 24-hour deadline to get it over the line.

According to Mundo Deportivo, PSG threatened to pull the plug and sign Dembele for free if he wasn’t sold by the close of Friday.

They expected the winger to already be their player last weekend, but a lack of necessary documentation obtained by the PSG legal department and Barca taking their time over negotiating the final details of the purchase held things up.

As communicated by a set of social media posts on Twitter, however, the switch has finally been completed with Dembele returning to his homeland for the first time in seven years when he left Rennes.

PSG have until 21.00 local time on Saturday evening to get their new forward registered. Whether he can play or not, Dembele is certain to be unveiled before the Parc des Princes crowd when Luis Enrique’s men begin their Ligue 1 title defense against Lorient.