Barcelona president Joan Laporta has suggested that Ousmane Dembele could have already signed a contract with his next club, despite returning to training amid a failure to secure a move away.
The French winger was expected to leave the Camp Nou on the final day of the January transfer window, with his contract expiring in the summer.
Chelsea were reported to be among the candidates for the former Borussia Dortmund wideman’s services, with it also being suggested that London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and French giants Paris Saint-Germain were also in the running.
In the end, Dembele remained as a Barcelona player with the transfer window closing before he was able to facilitate a move but club president Laporta suspects that the Frenchman has already agreed a deal elsewhere for when his contract ends in the summer.
Speaking in a press conference, he said: “The Dembele thing is difficult to understand.
“Dembele is in the team and Xavi has to build a competitive squad with players who have a future at this club.
“We think that Dembele already has a contract with another club, they have insinuated that to us. What we will do is defend the interests of our club.”
It would certainly not be a surprise to see the Frenchman having agreed terms with another club. He is currently able to engage in negotiations with foreign clubs over a pre-contract agreement - although which club has won the race for his services remains to be seen.
In the meantime, the 24-year-old will continue to represent Barcelona for the remainder of the 2021/22 campaign.
He has made just 11 appearances throughout the current season so far, his only goal coming in a 2-1 win against Spanish minnows Linares in a third round Copa del Rey tie.
Dembele was also not included in the Catalans’ squad that edged past Alaves 1-0 before the international break.
However, it appears that the Spanish giants have not taken the decision to exclude Dembele from their first-team plans, with the Frenchman pictured in full training on Tuesday.
