Xavi open to Ousmane Dembele staying at Barcelona

Barcelona boss Xavi said that it would "not be a problem" if Ousmane Dembele stayed at Camp Nou beyond the end of the 2021-22 campaign.

The France international's contract with the Catalan giants is due to expire at the end of June, and he was strongly linked with a move away from the club in January.

As it stands, Dembele will leave Barcelona on a free transfer at the end of June, but he has recently been brought back into the fold by Xavi, and there have been suggestions that he could now sign a new contract with the club.

The 24-year-old has scored once and provided five assists in nine La Liga appearances this season, including a goal and two assists against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday night.

Xavi has now opened the door to the World Cup winner staying at Barcelona on a long-term basis, just one month after his career at the club had seemingly come to an end.

"It's not a problem for me if he stays. He works very hard and that's why I defend him. He's capable of doing what he has done tonight (Sunday). I see a lot of options of where to play him. He can play on the left, right and score goals and provide key passes," Xavi told reporters.

Manchester United, Juventus, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are among the teams said to be interested in signing Dembele on a free transfer.