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Ousmane Dembele during the La Liga match between Barcelona and Osasuna played at Camp Nou Stadium on March 13, 2022.

5 Barcelona players negotiating a new contract – & how it’s progressing

Callum Rice-Coates •

Barcelona’s rebuild under Xavi is making good progress and the focus will soon turn towards renewing contracts for key players.

Some are expiring this summer, while several players’ deals come to an end in 2023. Not all of them will have a future at the club, but negotiations are ongoing with those considered worthy of a place in the squad for next season and beyond.

We’ve taken a look at which players are in talks over a new deal and how things are progressing.

Ousmane Dembele

Dembele’s future remains very much up in the air. Contract talks were reportedly ended in January and the France international subsequently dropped from Xavi’s starting XI.

Adama Traore came in on loan from Wolves and was viewed as a potential replacement, though he has not featured regularly of late.

Instead, Dembele is now back in the team and contract talks are again on the table.

“For me Ousmane is a very important player,” said Xavi. “I hope he stays.

“These are players who are very important to me and to Barca. Gavi, [Ronald] Araujo, Dembele. If we can have them next year we will be a better team and a better squad without doubt.”

No light has been shed on the development of contract talks with Dembele, though a report from Mundo Deportivo claimed the player’s bonus demands were holding things up.

Barcelona are clearly keen to keep Dembele amid talk of interest from Chelsea and others. And his team-mates are in favour of an extension too: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang publicly claimed that the winger “has to stay” and Ferran Torres insisted there is no better club to be at.

Whether Dembele can be convinced remains to be seen.

Ousmane Dembele in action during the match between Real Madrid and Barcelona at Santiago Bernabeu on 20 March 2022.

READ: Comparing Ousmane Dembele’s stats under Xavi & Ronald Koeman

Sergi Roberto

A long and diligent servant of the club, Roberto is out of contract in the summer and has been linked with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City.

The versatile midfielder is now 30 and typically a backup option for Barcelona, but he has been out with a thigh injury since November 2021.

Xavi, though, is keen to extend his stay at Camp Nou. Catalunya Radio reported that talks were held with Roberto’s representative Josep Maria Orobitg and Barcelona officials in April 2022.

An agreement has not yet been reached because Roberto is reportedly reluctant to accept a pay cut.

Gavi

Understandably, Gavi is a priority for Barcelona, even if he is still under contract until 2023.

Clubs are already circling and getting excited at the mere possibility of an opening to sign one of Europe’s brightest young talents.

The Span international has been a revelation since breaking into the first team earlier this season and his potential is frightening.

In August, Gavi will turn 18 and be able to sign contracts himself, without needing a parent or guardian to take the responsibility. And he is believed to be keen to stay at Camp Nou for the long term.

The teenager’s agent, Ivan de la Pena, is reportedly driving a hard bargain, but negotiations remain in progress for now.

Ronald Araujo

Araujo appears to be the closest to a new deal of all the Barcelona players currently in negotiations. The Uruguayan defender, according to Fabrizio Romano, will pen a new four-year deal, keeping him at the club until 2026.

The deal also includes a €1billion release clause, just in case there were any clubs still interested. Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool were all rumoured to be monitoring the 23-year-old.

Romano also confirmed that Barcelona are “working on final details” of Gavi’s contract offer.

Dani Alves

Veteran right-back Alves is not officially in negotiations over a new contract, but he has agreed to a deal in principle for a one-year extension, according to Marca.

The Brazil international turns 39 next month and could still be playing for Barcelona at the age of 40.

Alves has made eight appearances in La Liga this season and is still as sharp and energetic as ever on the right flank.

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