In the aftermath of a 1-0 friendly triumph over AC Milan in Las Vegas, FC Barcelona’s head coach, Xavi Hernandez, voiced his disapproval of Ousmane Dembele’s imminent departure to Paris Saint-Germain.
Reports have strongly linked Dembele to a transition to the Ligue 1 champions since Sunday. Despite scoring the opening goal in a 3-0 Clasico victory against Real Madrid, Dembele, situated in Dallas at the time, joined the 32-man squad on their US preseason tour, concluding at the Allegiant Stadium in Vegas.
As detailed by Mundo Deportivo, a private accord formed during negotiations for Dembele’s contract renewal until June 2024 paved the way for his sale to PSG for a mere €50 million ($55 million).
To safeguard against any potential injury hindrance that could disrupt the move, Dembele, hooded and discrete, was excluded from the AC Milan fixture. However, he emerged on camera as Ansu Fati celebrated his match-deciding strike.
After the game, a “very disappointed” Xavi expressed his dismay and shed light on Dembele’s expressed desire to leave, indicating the player had a proposal from PSG. This revelation led to Dembele’s absence from the match.
Xavi, the mentor who had once defended Dembele amid fan jeers and demands for exclusion, voiced his regret at the departure. He admitted, “It is a personal decision. It is a pity, [and] it tastes bad to me because we have taken great care of him.”
Offering his best wishes, Xavi also acknowledged the inevitability of market forces, saying, “It is the law of the market, we cannot compete with this proposal, it is beyond our reach.”
In a climate where Barcelona’s capacity to register new players and extend current stars is strained, Xavi’s acceptance of the reality that the club cannot match PSG’s offer seems apt.
“I am a bit disappointed, yes,” Xavi reiterated, sharing Dembele’s direct conversations with PSG manager Luis Enrique and president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. These exchanges firmly shut the door on any persuasion.
This marks the surrender of the 2017 acquisition from Borussia Dortmund, originally secured for €105 million ($115 million) alongside supplementary sums. Barcelona’s financial loss on Dembele will total €25 million ($27.5 million), a sum split between the player and his agent, Moussa Sissoko.
While not ideal, this outcome trumps the alternative scenario of losing Dembele on a free transfer as his contract expires, a perspective that Xavi acknowledged, stating, “Barca continue. Players who don’t want to be at Barca have to be let go.”
