Forward Ousmane Dembele has 72 hours to leave Barcelona

Barcelona's final days of the transfer window will be conditioned by the decision Ousmane Dembele makes on his immediate future. The player's agents met with Xavi Hernandez this week to look for a way out of the current crisis. And the Barça coach insisted on the club's discourse: either Dembele renews his contract, which expires in June, or he leaves before the window closes on Monday.

Staying at Camp Nou without renewing is not an option for Barça... although it's the best option for the player's agents, who could pocket a succulent signing on bonus and commission (€20 million for Dembele, €20m for themselves) in the summer. Barça need him to renew or leave to reduce the wage bill and be able to sign the players they're working on: Morata and a left-back (Grimaldo or Tagliafico).

Adama, fortunately, can be registered thanks to the fact he's coming basically for free until the summer.

Dembele (who president Joan Laporta said is better than Mbappe and Xavi says he can be the best in the world in his position) is now a problem. A solution has to be found in the next 72 hours. Three days for the situation to progress, the problem is worse than ever and Barça could be facing another tough decision: what to do with Dembele if he doesn't renew but doesn't leave. There's the option of leaving him in the stands for five months, although that could also damage Barça as they would not have signed a replacement and their squad is light.

The fact Dembele has blocked Barça's transfer business this month has been a huge handicap in terms of signings, which are needed to help the team qualify for next season's Champions League by finishing in the top four. Without signings, everything is more difficult -- with the Europa League still a target as well -- if not impossible.

We've already seen how poor this team's performances have been. They didn't click under Ronald Koeman (five wins in 13 games) and it's not working under Xavi yet (six wins in 14 games). The new coach needs players to evolve the team, because the youngsters, despite their talent, cannot take on so much responsibility.

They are the future. But there's a lack of present to solve the immediate needs. That's why it's important to sign players capable of immediate performances. Everything is in Dembele's hands.