Barça's alternatives to resolve the 'Dembélé case'

Ousmane Dembélé is starring in all the headlines of FC Barcelona. He has decided not to extend his stay at the Camp Nou beyond June 30 of this year and, moreover, his intention is to exhaust his contract and leave as a free agent on July 1. There are few options for the Frenchman to 'help' the club in this situation and in the Barça offices they are beginning to review all their options to 'solve' the 'Dembouz' case.

The differences between Dembélé and Barça have been economic. And it is that, while Laporta or Xavi described him as a very important player for the club and "better than Mbappé", they offered him a downward renewal in his fixed salary. The international with France ended up asking for an increase in his income, which would be close to 40 million euros, because he understood that if the culé club had to get the signing of Ferran Torres (55 'kilos') it should also have to 'give' him a deal of stars to him.

That has been the point that broke the negotiations. The Frenchman and his agent put their cards on the table, but Barça too, reminding them of all the "patience" they have had with him, who precisely has not stood out for being the most regular player in the squad and what has happened, moreover, , too long injured. However, everything seems to indicate that there is no more time for negotiations or regrets, but rather to ask what can be done.

Reduction of your income in these six months?

Barça is aware that it has very little room for action, because negotiating with Dembélé and his entourage is a nightmare and they understand that they will not make any gestures with the club, that they are experiencing a delicate economic situation and that they have too many limitations. It is not ruled out that the Barça leaders put on the table the possibility that the Frenchman accepts a reduction in his salary in the last six months of his contract.

Dembélé, after the loan of Philippe Coutinho to Aston Villa, has become the highest paid player in the squad, with gross earnings of €17,311,840. Half would remain to be received and, given the uncertainty, lowering the salary sounds like one of the options, although if Vernon's has not 'collaborated' until now, it is difficult for him to do so now..

Transfer in January: Is it possible?

There are fourteen days left for the winter transfer market to close and the ideal solution for Barça to settle the dispute with Dembélé would be for him to go to another club this winter. His sale price would be much lower, but the intention of the Catalans is that he does not leave the Camp Nou without leaving a euro, as would happen in the month of July.

However, this option seems even more difficult than the previous one, since the 'Mosquito' would have made it more than clear that he intends to exhaust his contract. Both he and his agent are aware of the bonus they can receive for signing as a free agent and do not want to miss it. Barça has the card to insist that he can spend six months in the stands to force him to leave.

Dembélé, to the terracing or to play?

In line with the previous point, one would have to wonder if Dembélé, being the best paid of the squad (with an income of 17 million a year) will really stay in the stands in the last months of his contract. There are two very marked positions and we will have to wait for Xavi's press conference on Wednesday to have any clues, remembering that at the time the coach pointed out that "If he has a contract, he has to play. Also because of the image of the club itself. I do not contemplate that option [to send him to the stands]".

The problem is that, despite Xavi's declarations in December, Barça would have a very different idea. The journalist Gerard Moreno announced that, after knowing Dembélé's decision not to renew, one of the three steps that the Barça team will follow will be "communicating to the player that he will not play with Barça again."

Likewise, it is worth remembering that during the month of August, when the 'Ilaix case' exploded, identical to Dembélé's, president Joan Laporta announced that "we cannot promote him in his last year of contract so that he leaves without leaving anything of It's something that Barça won't tolerate.” It seems that the soap opera isn't over... and that it has many chapters left.