After FC Barcelona defeated AC Milan 1-0 in a friendly on Tuesday in Las Vegas, head coach Xavi Hernandez criticized Ousmane Dembele’s impending transfer to Paris Saint-Germain.
The French attacker journeyed from Dallas to Las Vegas with the 32-man team currently in the United States on a preseason tour that ended at the Allegiant Stadium. He scored the first goal in a 3-0 Clasico victory against Real Madrid on Saturday. Multiple sources have strongly linked the 26-year-old with a move to PSG since Sunday.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barca are prepared to sell Dembele for a measly €50 million ($55 million). Thanks to a confidential deal the player and his agent Moussa Sissoko made last year when discussing extending his contract until June 30, 2024.
A ‘very dissatisfied’ Xavi, who SPORT cited as having cautioned Dembele about Neymar’s path at PSG. And how it led to the Brazilian attempting but failing to return to Camp Nou.
“It is a personal decision. It is a pity, [and] it tastes bad to me because we have taken great care of him,” Xavi, who took Dembele under his wing when supporters requested that he be removed to the stands and booed him for not renewing, admitted.
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“It is the law of the market. We cannot compete with this proposal. It is beyond our reach,” he added.
Xavi is correct that Barca can’t offer Dembele anything close to the €20 million ($22 million) a season. This is because, Barca are trying to sign new players and the contracts of existing stars. He would reportedly sign a five-year deal at the Parc des Princes.
