Xavi Hernández considers Ousmane Dembélé as an absolute priority for his project. So much so that the coach has been the French striker’s highest guarantor, both when he was practically an ‘outcast’ in January, like now that he has regained the affection of the club and the approval of the fans. After a meeting he held a week ago, in which the player insisted again that he wanted to stay at all costs, the coach from Egar ‘agitated’ all the club’s echelons to restart negotiations.
The first Xavi spoke with the president Joan Laporta and then with Mateu Alemany and Jordi Cruyff, despite the former’s unwillingness, arguing that there is no better player in his position than Ousmane. The coach stressed that Dembélé was happy, that he felt important and that he wanted to continue at all costs.
Under this situation, club and player have reopened negotiations, with positions still very far apart on the economic issue, but with the will of both parties to find a meeting point. If Dembélé’s yes is finally achieved, much of the credit will have to be given to Xaviwho from the first day opted for the French winger, when the club had already given him a hopeless case, impossible to rehabilitate.
The second player that Xavi considers essential for his project and who has insistently pushed for a favorable solution to be found for the club’s interests has been the Uruguayan central defender Ronald Araújo. In this case, everything was very much on track from the beginning, because the international promised the coach that he was going to continue because he was aware that it would be better if he wasn’t going to be here. Not even the appearance on the scene of the German Rüdiger broke the good will of all parties. Last Tuesday, at a meal between his agent and Alemany, his renewal was completed until 2026, which will be officially announced in the coming days.
And the third in discord in the order of preferences, but just as important for the project, is the young Gavi. Xavi considers this 17-year-old talent to be one of the essential players to build a winning team, both because of his personality and his quality. His renewal is also taken for granted, so it could be announced at the end of April.
Three renewals that Xavi considers vital for the future, although he is aware that the highest priority also throws more uncertainties, having to have the approval of Moussa Sissoko, Dembélé’s agent, that until now has put economic issues before any other, making any rapprochement or negotiation very difficult.