Barcelona make last desperate attempt to renew forward

FC Barcelona have reopened talks with French forward Ousmane Dembele, despite the fact that negotiations between the two sides broke down over the winter. The player's recent form has apparently convinced the club to make a last-ditch attempt to convince him to renew his contract.

Dembele's current deal runs out at the end of the season, and it was initially believed that he was keen to stay. Manager Xavi Hernandez made it clear that he wanted to player in his squad, but the two sides did not see eye-to-eye on the financial aspects of the renewal.

The club tried to offload Dembele in January, but interested clubs opted to wait a few months longer when he becomes available on a free transfer this summer. The Blaugrana had been convinced that Dembele already had a pre-contract agreement with another club, which was why he was being adamant about rejecting the renewal offers.

However, Marca now reports that there is no deal in place as yet, and Barcelona have made the first step towards renewing talks. A meeting will soon take place between the player's agent and Barcelona representatives.

Over the past several weeks, the buzz from the dressing room has given the indication that apart from Xavi, Barcelona players have also been hoping for Dembele to continue with the club. The club's recent improvements, including a 4-0 victory in El Clasico, may have also made a change in the player's stance.

However, the fact remains that Barcelona have limited spending capacity due to their financial situation. It is unclear just how much they have improved their offer for the renewal. Likewise, it also remains to be seen how much Dembele is willing to accept especially with his recent performances likely to attract lucrative offers from other clubs.

Since the new year, Xavi decided to utilise Dembele instead of banishing him to the bench. As a result, he has contributed a total of seven assists and a goal. Xavi made it clear that while he is a Barcelona player, Dembele will be treated like one. It now remains to be seen for how much longer that will be.