In a recent development that has left FC Barcelona's boss, Xavi Hernandez, feeling "hurt," it has been confirmed that Ousmane Dembele is set to leave for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) this summer. Despite having a year left on his current contract with Barcelona, Dembele has chosen to join the Ligue 1 champions, a decision that Xavi has publicly acknowledged.
The transfer fee for Dembele, which is expected to be around £43 million (€50 million), is still under negotiation between Barcelona and PSG. The transfer is likely to be finalized in the coming days, according to ESPN.
Xavi expressed his disappointment, stating, "It hurts me because I think we have taken great care of him here so that he is happy and content and continues to make a difference for us." He further revealed that Barcelona could not compete with the offer made by PSG, which he described as "completely out of the market."
Dembele, who is currently with the Barcelona squad on their pre-season tour of the US, was not included in Barca's final fixture of the tour, a 1-0 victory over AC Milan. Despite this, he was spotted at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, appearing relaxed as he chatted with his teammates.
Dembele signed a new two-year contract last year after finishing the 2021-22 campaign with the most assists for Barcelona. The French forward made 13 assists, three more than second-best Jordi Alba, who earlier left the Catalan club and joined Lionel Messi at Inter Miami in Major League Soccer (MLS).
Xavi, who was aware of Dembele's release clause, revealed that he along with Barca's sporting director Mateu Alemany had been working hard to ensure the France international stayed at Camp Nou. "At the end of the day, it's a scenario we have prepared for and now we have to strengthen because it weakens us," said Xavi.
Dembele moved from Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona in 2017 at a transfer fee of £90m (€105m). He was the Blaugrana's third-most expensive signing after Philippe Coutinho and Antoine Griezmann. Injuries have disrupted Dembele's run at Barcelona, restricting him to 185 appearances in all competitions. He scored 40 goals and made 43 assists in total across six seasons at Camp Nou.
As Barcelona prepares for Dembele's departure, the club will be actively looking for a replacement in the coming weeks with the summer transfer window still underway.
