The potential departure of Ousmane Dembélé from FC Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain will have ramifications for the Spanish club. Although the Catalan side isn’t securing a quality transfer fee, there’s emotional hurt behind the decision.
BarçaTimes reports, citing sources, that Barcelona’s head coach Xavi Hernandez was left stunned and feeling betrayed when Ousmane Dembélé informed him of his decision to depart for PSG.
Sources at the club say that Xavi was left 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 for several hours at the hotel when Dembélé informed him of his decision. The coach feels completely betrayed. He has received no sign from Dembele that he wants or is open to leaving.
— BarçaTimes (@BarcaTimes) August 1, 2023
Xavi had received no prior indication or sign from Dembélé that he was considering a move away from Barcelona. The French winger had not expressed any desire or openness to leave. So making the sudden revelation all the more shocking for the manager and La Liga side.
Mundo Deportivo recently revealed that the Frenchman believes specific leaders within the organization are keen on selling him. As a result, it likely led to Dembélé looking at other options behind-the-scenes.
Reports suggest that PSG and Barcelona have agreed in principle to transfer Dembélé. The Catalan club will receive about €27 million. The negotiations between the two clubs are ongoing, and PSG is operating towards a transfer that will not exceed €50 million.