“Said no”- Xavi sends a message to 24-year-old star on Chelsea’s radar

Ousmane Dembele sent Barcelona contract message amidst interest from Chelsea

Xavi Hernandez has sent a message on behalf of Barcelona to Ousmane Dembele about his contract amidst interest from Chelsea. He could be on the way out of Camp Nou if he decides to not pen on a new deal in the coming months. He has failed to live up to the expectations, having been plagued by injuries since moving to Spain.

Dembele will see his current contract expire at the end of this season. The Blues and Arsenal have shown an interest in signing him as he would become a free agent next summer. Sporting director Mateu Alemany has already mentioned that he needs to decide on his future rather than dwelling on it for too long.

Speaking in the pre-match press conference (h/t Football.London), Xavi expressed his feelings surrounding the situation by handing a warning to the Frenchman. He conveyed that the forward needs to put in the “effort” as he has everything currently to succeed at the club. He has advised the winger to make an informed decision that will potentially impact his future in the game.

“I have already said it to him, I am waiting for him to make an effort. The situation cannot be better for him. Let’s see what he decides. I’m hoping that he puts in effort before deciding. I am calm and waiting on an update. It does not depend on me. It depends on the club and him. He should think about himself and his future.”

Dembele to Chelsea?

It is still early days as it mentions that we have only shown an interest in a potential move in the future. There is no information on whether we have made an enquiry or if we are actively interested in signing the 24-year-old. The Barca ace could be a good addition to our squad if we can land him as a free agent next summer.

The Gunners are also keeping tabs on the La Liga attacker, meaning we have to be way at all times not to get blindsided by them. The club may need to take a quick decision and put the matter to bed by reaching a pre-contract agreement with him. Since he is in the last six months of his deal, we can agree on the personal terms and get him in advance for the next season.

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Signing the France international on a free would help us to reduce the risk as much as possible. He has had a long injury history, but he started having such issues only after joining up with the Catalans. Meaning a move elsewhere could help him fix that situation, and we could assist him in regaining the fitness he had shown at his previous clubs.

Moreover, the Blaugrana winger rose to fame under Thomas Tichel at Borussia Dortmund, meaning we could see a repeat of that if we end up signing him. Time will tell what lies in store for him and if we will try to facilitate a transfer for him in the future.