Barcelona could find it difficult to sign Ousmane Dembele to a new contract due to their financial problems, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano.
The 25-year-old actually left Camp Nou for a two-week period last summer, becoming a free agent when his contract expired at the end of June.
However, the France international ultimately penned a new contract two weeks later, with the agreement running until the end of the 2023-24 campaign.
Dembele has recently been sidelined through injury, but he has been a vital player for Xavi's side during the current season, scoring eight goals and registering seven assists in 28 appearances in all competitions.
© Reuters
There is again speculation surrounding the attacker's future, with a number of clubs, including Chelsea and Manchester United, thought to be keeping an eye on the situation.
Romano has claimed that Barcelona are determined to sign Dembele to a new deal, but the club's issues surrounding Financial Fair Play could make it difficult.
"It's still early to say what's going to happen with Ousmane Dembele, Financial Fair Play will be crucial for Barcelona; but they really want to extend Dembele's contract," Romano wrote in his column for CaughtOffside.
"Xavi is very happy with him, at this stage there's nothing concrete with Premier League clubs."
Dembele's last appearance for Barcelona came against Girona at the end of January, but he now in the latter stages of his recovery from a hamstring problem.
© Reuters
La Liga chief Javier Tebas recently said that Barcelona would be unable to sign new players this summer unless they raised £177m due to their financial problems.
"In the case of Barcelona, they have to drop from spending on wages and transfers from £532m to £399m (€650m to €450m), so it's a budget of minus £177m (€200m)," read part of the statement.
"They have to reduce their investment in players and we have encouraged them to sell players because, for every amount they raise in sales, they can spend 40 per cent of that."
Dembele, who has struggled with a number of injury problems during his time at Barcelona, made the move to Camp Nou in August 2017 after just one season with Borussia Dortmund.
The forward has managed 40 goals and 41 assists in 178 appearances for his current side in all competitions.
