Joan Laporta claims star player Ousmane Dembele will sign a new deal with the Spanish giants, which will keep him at the club for the foreseeable future.
The Barcelona president, who has a close relationship with the player, told TV 3 that he believes an agreement will be reached.
He said: “We have an excellent relationship with Dembele, and he wants to stay.
“We also want him because he’s a great player. His representatives want the best for him, so we hope to negotiate further.”
It’s no secret that Laporta is a massive admirer of the 24-year-old, but his following statement shocked fans worldwide.
He claimed: “I am enthusiastic about Dembele. He is better than Mbappé.”
Is Ousmane Dembele better than the French star?
The 59-year-old’s views may seem ridiculous on the surface, but upon examination, they’re not so ludicrous.
Injury problems have tormented Dembele throughout the 2021-22 season. But if we look at their statistics from the previous campaign, we can build a comparison between how the two men have performed.
The first thing that jumps off the page is the difference in the number of goals scored. Mbappe is far superior in this category, having hit the back of the net 27 times in the 31 games. In contrast, the Barcelona man has only scored six times in his 30 matches.
The PSG man may have better statistics in the more notable areas, but that doesn’t mean that the Barcelona standout isn’t a significant part of the Spanish side’s set-up.
It’s also important to remember that Dembele is playing his football in a much more competitive league than his compatriot.
Read: The stats that show the impact Memphis Depay has had at Barcelona.
How bad have the Frenchman’s injuries been?
Dembele suffered a severe injury at Euro 2020 that has kept him out for most of the season. However, he returned in a Champions League match against Dynamo Kyiv last month and looked impressive. Since then, he has damaged his hamstring again, putting him back on the sidelines.
Luckily for Barcelona, the forward isn’t expected to be out for too long. It remains to be seen whether his future will be with Barcelona.