Last week, Foot Mercato stated Ousmane Dembélé is negotiating a ‘golden contract’ with Newcastle United, which includes a €15m per year salary and a signing bonus of €15m.
His Barcelona contract expires at the end of this season and there’s been no progress in the La Liga side’s efforts to tie down the winger to a new deal.
The 24-year-old picked up an injury while with France in June and has not yet regained full fitness.
Monday’s edition of Sport explains Dembélé travelled to Finland to get the green light from the doctor who operated on him, to start playing. If he receives approval, it remains to be seen whether he will be made available to Ronald Koeman.
The report backs up the Frenchman’s representative holding talks with the Magpies. It’s claimed Barcelona are aware the agent has ‘contacted’ the Tyneside club and Juventus, while ‘turning a deaf ear’ to their calls to discuss his client’s renewal.
The first one is to deny him minutes, which would force any interested clubs, like Newcastle and Juve, to think ‘twice’ before signing him.
The other option is to allow Koeman to count on the player as it will give the manager more options in attack.
Sport say Barcelona would be stronger with Dembélé, but at the same time, they suggest it will improve his chances of leaving the club as a free agent.
The newspaper states: ‘The case of the French is a thorn in the plan of the Barca…’
