Talks between Ousmane Dembele and Barcelona over a contract renewal have broken down, meaning that the Frenchman could leave the club for free next summer. Meanwhile, Xavi Hernandez is eyeing a move for Juventus’ Alvaro Morata in the winter.
There is a disagreement between the Frenchman and the Catalan club over his contract renewal on the eve of the January transfer window, Goal reports. As it stands, the attacker would depart Camp Nou for free next summer and can enter into a pre-contractual agreement with foreign suitors from January 1, 2022.
In the wake of Dembele’s contract snub news, it has emerged that Premier League pair Manchester United and Newcastle United have shown an interest in the player.
As per Calciomercato journalist Matteo Moretto, the two clubs can attempt to enter into talks with the 24-year-old and his representatives starting January 1, as they look to pounce on the fact that there is still no contractual agreement between him and Barca.
The Blaugrana stand to make a massive loss should they allow him to leave for free in six months. In the summer of 2017, the Spanish giants paid Borussia Dortmund 105 million euros upfront, plus 40 million in add-ons, for the striker. However, injuries have largely hampered his time in Catalunya capital, evidenced by the fact that he is yet to hit 100 La Liga appearances for the club.
Meanwhile, it could well be the case of one in, one out for Barcelona’s attack in the winter. As per Marca, the Blaugrana are showing interest in Real Madrid academy graduate Alvaro Morata, who is currently on loan at Juventus from Atletico Madrid.
The forward is on the wishlist of new Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez, but getting him to Camp Nou could prove to be a complicated task, given the complex nature of his current situation.
The Blaugrana would have to negotiate separately with Juve and Atleti, requesting the former to release the 29-year-old and the latter to loan him to them for the season. However, the player himself is reportedly considering the proposal.
