Barcelona have told French attacker Ousmane Dembele that he must leave the club before the end of January.
Dembele, who joined the La Liga giants from Borussia Dortmund in 2017 in a deal worth €140 million, has yet to agree a new deal and can leave for free when his contract expires in the summer.
Debt-ridden Barca are desperate to avoid that scenario and want to pocket some cash in the current transfer window.
“With Ousmane and his agent we began conversations around July so it's been six months and a bit,” said Barcelona director of football Mateu Alemany.
“We've talked, we've talked, we've talked. Barca has made different offers.
“We've tried to find a way for the player to continue with us but these offers have been systematically rejected by his agents and today, January 20, eleven days before the last period of his contract ends, it seems obvious to us that the player does not want to continue at Barcelona and he is not committed to Barca's future project.
“In this scenario he and his agents have been informed that he must leave immediately because we want players committed to this project and therefore we hope that a transfer will take place before January 31.”
Manager Xavi Hernandez left the 24-year-old out of his squad to Athletic Bilbao in their last-16 Copa del Rey clash on Thursday.
Barca 2 Real Madrid 3: Spanish Super Cup semi-final player ratings
Dembele has been linked with a host of clubs, including Premier League sides Manchester United, Liverpool and Saudi-backed Newcastle United.
“He wants to stay but it has not been agreed so we have to make a decision as a club and that is either to renew or find an exit,” said Xavi, who took over at Camp Nou in November.
“It's a shame. He has played every possible minute since I have been coach. It is not an easy or pleasant situation, but the interests of the club are paramount.”
Dembele has struggled with injuries during his spell in Spain, making 87 La Liga appearances in four-and-a-half seasons, scoring 18 goals. He has been capped 27 times by France scoring four goals.
Why the Tourist Club?
Originally, The Club (which many people chose to call the “British Club”) was the only place where one could use the beach with changing rooms and a shower, and get refreshments.
In the early 1970s, the Government of Abu Dhabi wanted to give more people a place to get together on the beach, with some facilities for children. The place chosen was where the annual boat race was held, which Sheikh Zayed always attended and which brought crowds of locals and expatriates to the stretch of beach to the left of Le Méridien and the Marina.
It started with a round two-storey building, erected in about two weeks by Orient Contracting for Sheikh Zayed to use at one these races. Soon many facilities were planned and built, and members were invited to join.
Why it was called “Nadi Al Siyahi” is beyond me. But it is likely that one wanted to convey the idea that this was open to all comers. Because there was no danger of encountering alcohol on the premises, unlike at The Club, it was a place in particular for the many Arab expatriate civil servants to join. Initially the fees were very low and membership was offered free to many people, too.
Eventually there was a skating rink, bowling and many other amusements.
Frauke Heard-Bey is a historian and has lived in Abu Dhabi since 1968.
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Rest
(Because Music)
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
