Transfer news: Barcelona demand €100m to avoid losing Xavi favourite

Football Club Barcelona have no intention of allowing Ousmane Dembele to leave the club in the foreseeable future. Paris Saint-Germain are admirers of the Frenchman, but have been told to stump up €100 million if they want to take the winger to the Parc des Princes.

Dembele was in a contract standoff with Barcelona in 2022, and came close to leaving the club on numerous occasions. However, after months of negotiations, and Xavi's insistence on his importance to the team, the club reached an agreement over a new two-year deal.

Since the new deal, Dembele has been impressive in La Liga, with Xavi making him a main stay in his starting XI. After ending last season with a flurry of assists, he has started the 2022-23 campaign in top form scoring six and assisting seven in 22 games.

The France international's form has again alerted clubs across Europe, with PSG keen to take him back to his homeland as a replacement for Neymar. The Brazilian's public fallout with Kylian Mbappe is expected to see him leave the Parisian club in the summer.

According to Spanish publication Sport, PSG want to sign Dembele and believe they can land the player if they meet the €50 million release clause in his contract. The former Borussia Dortmund winger will have just one year remaining on his deal at the end of the current campaign.

However, Barcelona are adamant that €50 million will not be enough to persuade them to sell the forward, and maintain that it will take at least €100 million to sign him. It remains to be seen if the Ligue 1 giants will fork out such a hefty fee for a player who has struggled with numerous injury problems in the recent past.

Moreover, Barcelona will have to deal with Xavi if they sanction a move for Dembele, with the Frenchman becoming a favourite under the Spanish coach. He is a regular in the starting XI, and the former Barcelona midfielder recently labelled him a "unique talent."

"This player, he's different from the others, he's unique. He has to dribble, try things, cross," Xavi said talking about his impact on the field.