Ousmane Dembele Joins PSG, Barcelona Seeks Replacement from Bundesliga
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Barcelona player, Ousmane Dembele, is reportedly getting closer to PSG. As a result, Blaugrana is currently targeting a replacement player from the Bundesliga, Leroy Sane. (AP Photo/Jeffrey McWhorter) |
La Liga giants Barcelona are reportedly in pursuit of a new player from Bayern Munich. Winger Leroy Sane is on Barca's radar following strong interest from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in one of their players, Ousmane Dembele.
As known, Dembele has been heavily linked with a move to Les Parisiens during the summer transfer window of 2023. The Ligue 1 club is in need of additional ammunition as their star striker, Kylian Mbappe, is set to depart for another club.
Ousmane Dembele's name quickly surfaced as PSG's target to replace Mbappe. The French club is even reported to be willing to trigger his release clause of £50 million at Barca, which will expire on July 31, 2023.
Barcelona's manager, Xavi Hernandez, initially appeared calm about PSG's interest in his protege. He believes the French player still seems happy in Spain and hasn't shown signs of wanting to return to his home country.
"We'll see (Ousmane Dembele's situation). During the transfer window, you never know. I see Ousmane happy at Barca," said Xavi about the rumors linking Dembele to the Ligue 1 giants some time ago.
"If there is anything (related to Paris Saint-Germain), he will let us know. For now, he is here, and he is happy," added the 43-year-old coach, as quoted by Metro.
Barcelona Officials Begin to Worry
However, recently, Barcelona officials are reportedly getting concerned about the potential transfer of Ousmane Dembele to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Journalist Gerard Romero via BarcaUniversal claims that the atmosphere within the Barca camp in Dallas is tense.
The Barcelona manager had to intervene to address the situation. Sportskeeda reports that Xavi has taken charge of handling Dembele's issue and intends to convince the 26-year-old player not to leave his squad.
An emergency meeting has already been scheduled between Dembele and Xavi. The outcome of this meeting is deemed crucial in shaping the player's future and potentially altering Barcelona's direction in the upcoming season.
Dembele Agrees to a Contract with PSG, Barcelona Seeks Replacement
Unfortunately, Barcelona's manager's efforts to anticipate Ousmane Dembele's departure seem to have yielded no results. Expert transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano claims that the French winger has already agreed to a five-year contract with PSG.
As a result, Barcelona is now starting to move in search of a replacement in the summer transfer market. SPORT, as reported by Sportskeeda, believes that Blaugrana is interested in Bayern Munich's winger, Leroy Sane.
The 26-year-old player is reportedly priced at around 65 million euros. He is considered a promising prospect for Barcelona as he is regarded as one of the top wingers in Europe and has accumulated 133 appearances during his time at Bavarians.
Even if Sane's transfer fee exceeds Barcelona's budget, Sportskeeda believes that Xavi's team still has a chance to land him in Spain. This is because they can use the funds obtained from Dembele's sale as part of the deal to bring Sane from Bayern Munich.