Ousmane Dembele committs to Barcelona signs new contract

• Ousmane Dembele will remain a Barcelona player having penned down a new contract at Camp Nou 
• Dembele has ended speculation surrounding his future after signing the new contract, this was after his former deal expired in June
• Dembele agreed to a new two-year contract with the club keeping him until the summer of 2024

Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele has ended months of speculation surrounding his future by signing a new two-year contract with the club.

The Frenchman has flirted with a move away on numerous occasions over the past year amid a contract impasse.

Dembele’s most recent contract actually expired at the end of June and he was technically a free agent amid interest from Premier League side Chelsea, but having previously refused to put pen to paper the winger has now signed on at Camp Nou until 2024.

Ousmane Dembele during a past match for Barcelona. | PHOTO: Getty Images |

Barcelona had tried desperately to sell the 25-year-old in January after he had rejected their most recent proposal due to his lofty wage demands.

Six months later, it is reported that the player has bizarrely agreed to a huge pay cut to remain with the Blaugrana.

The new terms he has signed will see the France international’s salary reduced by an initial 40% amid Barcelona’s challenging financial situation, although he has agreed to that in the belief that he will receive a new and improved offer in a years’ time.

No-one is truly sure where Barcelona’s money is coming from as things stand, but having activated a ‘second economic lever’, the club has also reached an agreement in principle to sign Leeds’ Brazilian wide man Raphinha.

The La Liga side have confirmed that Ousmane Dembele has agreed a new two-year contract to stay at Camp Nou.

Barcelona have confirmed that Ousmane Dembele has signed a new two-year contract. | PHOTO: Getty Images |

Talks have continued over a new deal and the France international has now agreed terms on a fresh contract, keeping him at Barca until the end of the 2023-24 season.

That Dembele remains a Barca player at all is a complete turnaround from the situation in January, when the club insisted the winger would be sold or leave on a free transfer at the end of the campaign after the 25-year-old turned down a contract offer.

Yet Barca on Thursday confirmed Dembele will remain with the Catalan giants.

The LaLiga club revealed he will sign his new deal at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper on Thursday afternoon.

Barca president Joan Laporta had revealed on Wednesday that Dembele’s new contract will be confirmed this week.

Dembele has made 150 appearances for Barca and came to the fore last season, setting up 13 goals in LaLiga – more than any other player in the Spanish top flight.

The Blaugrana also reached an agreement to sign Brazil winger Raphinha from Leeds United for a reported fee of €67million (£56.57m).

Raphinha arrived in Spain for a medical on Wednesday.