Spotlight-hogging Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele has taken to social media on Thursday, to issue a response to Sporting Director Mateu Alemany.

For those unaware, the name of French international Dembele has come back to the fore in a major way in the Catalan capital over the course of the day to date.

This comes after Blaugrana chief Mateu Alemany dropped a bombshell, all-but confirming that the former Borussia Dortmund man has played his final game for the club, after refusing to renew his contract, set to expire this summer:

Dembele himself, however, has refused to accept the claims of the club without a fight.

Taking to his official Instagram account on Thursday evening, the 24-year-old unveiled a firm but emotion-filled rebuttal, insisting that he remains ‘fully at the disposal’ of manager Xavi, all the while ‘forbidding’ anyone other than his representatives to speak on his behalf:

”Gossip about me has been piling up for four years. It’s been fours years since people have spoken for me, shamefully lied with one sole purpose – to harm me.

“As of today it’s over. From today I will speak honestly without giving in to any kind of blackmail.

“My message is transparent. I forbid anyone to give the impression that I am not involved in the sports project.

“I forbid anyone to attribute intentions to me that I have never had. I forbid anyone to speak for me or my representative, whom I fully trust.

“Still under contract, I am fully involved and at the disposal of my club, my coach.

Griezmann responds as Ousmane Dembele aims emotional dig at Barcelona chief

BARCELONA, SPAIN – October 6: Ousmane Dembele #11 of Barcelona after scoring his sides third goal during the Barcelona V Sevilla, La Liga regular season match at Estadio Camp Nou on October 6th 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)

“I have always given everything for my colleagues and also for all the partners – it is not now that this is going to change. I am not a man who cheats and even less a man who has a habit of giving in to blackmail.

“As you know there are negotiations. I let my agent handle it, it’s his turf.

“My field is the ball, playing football, sharing moments of joy with my team-mates. Above all, let’s focus on winning.”

Former teammate Antoine Griezmann, currently on loan at Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, was quick to take to the comments section of Dembele’s post, seemingly backing his fellow countryman with the use of a pair of emojis:

Chelsea bound?

Should a resolution not be found between Dembele and Barcelona before the transfer window slams shut in a little over a week’s time, just where could the gifted attacker end up?

To this point, a whole host of potential landing spots have been highlighted in the media, including the likes of Juventus, Manchester United and Newcastle United.

As per Portuguese transfer insider Pedro Almeida, though, it is European champions Chelsea who appear the front-runners for a deal, with a €15 million offer at the ready on the part of Thomas Tuchel and co.

 

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