Barcelona still remain hopeful of Ousmane Dembele extending his stay at the club. The Frenchman is in the final few months of his contract and is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal. The world cup winner’s spell in Catalonia has been interrupted with injuries but since his return, the winger has been one of the best players in Xavi’s new system. Barcelona vs Athletic Club, Match Result: Catalans Cruise to a 4-0 Win in La Liga 2021-22 Match.

In a recent interview, Barcelona president Joan Laporta expressed his desire for Ousmane Dembele to stay at the club despite his contract issues. The Catalan club’s chief had previously hinted that the French winger will leave in the summer but now hopes that the winger can be convinced to stay after his recent impressive performances.

Barcelona made numerous attempts to reach an agreement with the Frenchman over his expiring contract but the player didn’t accept the new terms and is waiting for his current deal to run down. Dembele will become a free agent in the summer and can currently negotiate with clubs over a possible transfer.

‘Dembele knows our offer and knows that we always wanted him to stay. We hope he will think again at the end of the season. I've always said it, for me he's one of the best in his position and we'll see what happens at the end of the season. In football, you can never rule anything out. Look, he could not play and now he plays, and he plays well. But his contract extension does not depend on me,’ Laporta said in an interview.

After the closing of the January transfer window, the Barcelona president had said that Ousmane Dembele will leave the club in the summer. Laporta also added that they tried to find the Frenchman a new club in January but the player refused offers including one from an English club.

However, the winger has been in great form for Barcelona in recent months. The Frenchman recently scored in a 4-0 win over Athletic Club and has been a crucial part of Xavi’s plan who has expressed trust in the player’s ability.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 01, 2022 06:03 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).