The soap opera between Ousmane Dembélé and FC Barcelona seemed to be over since his transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023. But the story is experiencing a new legal episode. While the Catalan club thought they had turned the page, the French international decided to restart the standoff, in a context already financially tense for Barça.
Dembélé attacks Barça for 10 million euros
According to revelations from the Catalan media El NacionalDembélé is now demanding 10 million euros from his former club. At issue: a sum resulting from his contract extension signed in 2022. The agreement provided for a release clause of 50 million euros, to be shared equally between Barça and the player in the event of departure. However, when PSG activated this clause in the summer of 2023, only 15 of the 25 million owed to Dembélé and his agent Moussa Sissoko were paid. The remaining 10 million are now being claimed before the Spanish courts.
This new legal episode comes at the worst time for Joan Laporta. The 2024-2025 financial report, already damning, reveals several debts owed to former players. These unpaid amounts reflect the persistent fragility of a club which is struggling to balance its accounts despite the sale of numerous assets. The Dembélé affair only accentuates the tension around the financial management of the Catalan president.
A case brought before the courts
The case was filed before the Court of First Instance No. 5 of Barcelona. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for December, a sign that the dispute is now in the hands of justice. Dembélé and his agent hope to win their case before the end of the season. On the Barça side, silence is required for the moment, but the leaders fear a precedent which could encourage other former players to claim their dues.
Beyond the Dembélé case, this affair illustrates the excesses of a weakened economic model. Between poorly negotiated clauses, accumulated debts and management under tension, FC Barcelona continues to pay for its past mistakes. And this time again, it is a former player, who became world champion and 2025 Ballon d’Or under other colors, who reminds the club that certain scores are still not settled.
