Ousmane Dembele has been a massive miss for Barcelona over the last few weeks. The Frenchman has been sidelined since January with a thigh injury, but he is in line to make his long-awaited return on Saturday against Real Betis.
Although Dembele’s short-term future will be at Barcelona, it is not so certain that he will remain at the club for the long term. His contract expires at the end of next season, and so far, a renewal has yet to be agreed.
However, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Dembele is considered to be “untouchable” by Barcelona ahead of this summer’s transfer window, although his release clause will decrease from €100m to €50m on the 1st of July, providing he hasn’t signed an extension by then.
Negotiations are expected to resume in the near future, as Barcelona look to tie down one of their most influential players of the season.
It is no surprise that Barcelona have struggled for goals during Dembele’s spell on the sidelines. The La Liga leaders will hope they return when the Frenchman does, which should be against Real Betis.