Barcelona Transfer Roundup: Dembele fee agreed, Messi advised to leave and more
Messi advised to leave Barcelona
Lionel Messi has been advised to leave Barcelona by agent Mino Raiola. Earlier this summer, Barcelona had announced that the player had agreed to a new deal. But recent reports suggest that the Argentina international is yet to sign a new deal
"A player like Messi must try another experience with a different club and prove how great he is," said the super agent to Marca.
The Catalans are yet to get over from the departure of Neymar who joined PSG for a world record fee of €222 million and can ill-afford to mishandle Messi's precarious situation.
Messi has a release clause of £263 million and it has also been reported that his father has spoken to Manchester City about a possible transfer to the Etihad next summer. If the forward does not sign the new deal, he will leave Spain for free!
Ousmane Dembele to Barcelona reportedly done deal
Barcelona have finally signed one of their many top targets this summer after failing to land Marco Verratti and Philippe Coutinho. Ousmane Dembele is set to join Barcelona before the summer transfer window shuts in a move that will make him the second most expensive player in the world.
Dembele has been desperate to join the Spanish giants and even went AWOL from Dortmund two weeks back.
Both the clubs had a meeting yesterday in Monaco ahead of the Champions League draw and the player is set to move to Spain.
Dembele will join the Catalans on a five-year deal for €150 million + €30 million in add-ons.
The player verified the deal on Twitter.
Coutinho could still move to Barcelona in the next 48 hours
It is suggested that the Brazilian international will make a last-ditch plea to Liverpool to let him leave. The player is keen on making a switch to Camp Nou and he hopes that Ousmane Dembele's move will not hamper his chance to play for Barcelona.
It is also believed that if the Reds do not allow him to leave, the midfielder will make a public statement explaining his desire to join the Catalans.
Jurgen Klopp has grown tired of the whole situation and has become frustrated with Coutinho. "It is the decision of the club, I think there is no doubt about that. It's not my decision, I'm the manager of the football team so when players are available, I coach them, and that is how it is," said the manager after Liverpool beat Crystal Palace 1-0 last weekend.