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LAS VEGAS. — Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez confirmed yesterday that Ousmane Dembele is poised to leave the Spanish giants after receiving an offer from Paris Saint-Germain.
Dembele, 26, was left on the bench yesterday as Barcelona wrapped up their North American pre-season tour with a 1-0 win over AC Milan in Las Vegas.
Afterward, Xavi told Spanish television that French international Dembele — who scored in last weekend’s victory over Real Madrid in Dallas — had been left out after informing Barcelona he wanted to leave.
“I will be very clear,” Xavi said. “He has asked us that he wants to leave, he has been very direct, that he has a proposal from Paris Saint-Germain, that they have called him from there and here we cannot do anything. It is his personal decision.
“To me, it hurts me because I think we have taken great care of him here so that he is happy and content and continues to make a difference for us.
“But he says that he has this proposal and that he has decided to leave. That is why he has not played today.”
Dembele, who joined Barcelona in 2017, has one year left on his contract with the LaLiga giants.
Barcelona’s victory on Tuesday came courtesy of a spectacular second-half strike from Ansu Fati.
A lackluster game at Las Vegas’s Allegiant Stadium was settled in the 55th minute after a counter-attack launched by Barcelona’s teenage left back Alejandro Balde.
The 19-year-old Spanish international passed to Fati just inside the Milan area and the forward cut in from the left before curling a superb shot into the top corner. — Reuters
Online Reporter