Barcelona make progress in securing forward's contract extension

FC Barcelona may have massive financial problems, but the crisis does not appear to be stopping them from closing deals. After it has been confirmed that the Catalan giants reached an agreement with Manchester City for the transfer of Ferran Torres, it is now being reported that the club has made significant progress in their bid to convince Ousmane Dembele to sign a contract extension.

The club and the Frenchman have been negotiating for many months, with many believing that Dembele is only waiting for the January transfer window to find out exactly what will be offered to him by other clubs before he makes a final decision on his future.

However, days before the transfer window opens, Marca reports that Barcelona has made a breakthrough towards reaching an agreement with the player for a deal that lasts until 2024.

Naturally, Barcelona wants the deal to be signed in the coming days, in order to prevent other clubs from swooping in over the upcoming transfer period. They know that many European clubs can afford to trump any offer that they can afford to put on the table, and they want to avoid the possibility of exposing Dembele to a bidding war which Barcelona can't join.

It will be a major disaster for Barcelona if Dembele decides to leave on a free transfer next summer to accept a lucrative deal elsewhere. This is believed to be the path that the winger was heading towards, until the arrival of new manager Xavi Hernandez. The legendary midfielder has made it clear that Dembele is an important player for him, and the Frenchman can now see a better future at the Camp Nou.

Anything can still happen in the next few weeks, and if the extension deal falls through, Barcelona will hope to be able to sell the player in January instead of losing him on a free transfer in the summer. They would want to get his wages off the books, and generate more funds from the sale.

For now, Dembele is being linked to Premier League side Newcastle United, who enjoyed a windfall after being acquired by the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. However, they are in danger of being eliminated, making them a less attractive destination.

French giants Paris Saint-Germain are also always on the lookout for a good deal, especially if they are unable to hold on to Kylian Mbappe.