"Sometimes things dont go the way you want" - Jordi Cruyff asks Barcelona fans to support wantaway Ousmane Dembele
Former Barcelona midfielder Jordi Cruyff has urged the club's fans to support Ousmane Dembele despite the 24-year-old's difficult situation at the club.
Dembele was booed by a number of supporters when he was brought on as a second-half substitute during the Blaugrana's match against Napoli last night. He came on for Adama Traore as the first leg of the Round of 32 clash in the UEFA Europa League ended in a 1-1 draw.
The Frenchman has just six months left on his current contract with the Catalans and has thus far rejected the chance to extend his deal with the club. The Frenchman was reportedly asked to leave by Xavi Hernandez during the January transfer window unless he signed a contract extension.
Despite being linked with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Chelsea, Dembele failed to secure a move away from the Nou Camp. He now looks set to run down his contract with the club.
The Catalan giants' fans expressed their anger towards Dembele during the club's clash with Napoli. The French star did, however, produce an impressive performance against the Italian club.
Cruyff has now requested Barcelona fans to back Dembele. He said (as quoted by Infobae):
"You have to support all the players who wear the shirt, from the first day to the last. Sometimes things don't go the way you want, Dembele didn't renew but if the coach uses him, you have to support him when he plays."
Dembele joined Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth around £110 million in the summer of 2017. The Frenchman was considered one of the brightest young talents prior to his move to Barcelona and was seen as the ideal replacement for Neymar Jr.
His time at the club has, however, been ravaged by injuries and disciplinary issues. He has made just 131 appearances and scored only 31 goals in his four-and-a-half seasons at the Nou Camp. Dembele has helped the club win two Copas del Rey and two La Liga titles in that time.
The 24-year-old has shown glimpses of his ability during his time with the Catalan giants but has lacked consistency. Nevertheless, he attracted plenty of interest from the likes of PSG, Chelsea, and Manchester United during the winter transfer window.
#FCB
Barcelona manager Xavi: “Ousmane Dembélé will turn whistles into applause here at Camp Nou, I’m sure”. 🔴 #FCB
“We have to trust Ferrán Torres - it's a matter of giving him time and confidence”. https://t.co/OeiJbECjTn
Barcelona will be keen to sell some fringe players this summer
Barcelona currently possess a number of high-earners who are on the fringes of the club's squad. Dembele is still a key member of Xavi's team, but is unlikely to extend his contract with the club, in which case he will become a free agent this summer.
Meanwhile, Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho is currently on loan at Aston Villa until the end of the season. The former Liverpool star is one of the Blaugrana's highest earners and is expected to secure a permanent move away from the club this summer.
Another forgotten man who is out on loan is Miralem Pjanic. The Bosnian joined the Catalans in the summer of 2020 from Juventus as part of a swap deal that saw Arthur Melo join the Serie A giants.
Pjanic endured a torrid debut season with the Spanish club and was sent out on a season-long loan to Besiktas at the start of the 2021-22 campaign. The 31-year-old is also expected to leave the Nou Camp this summer.
Philippe Coutinho is getting back to his best 🪄 https://t.co/Vqqh2QJtBL
Barcelona will look to use the funds from the potential sale of Pjanic and Coutinho to sign a new defender. The club is believed to be keen to sign a long-term replacement for veteran defender Gerard Pique.