Barcelona boss Xavi has said that signing Ousmane Dembele to a new contract at Camp Nou "is a priority".
The France international's future remains the subject of much speculation, as his current deal is due to expire next June, and the two parties are thought to be some way apart in terms of an agreement.
Manchester United, Juventus and Chelsea are all believed to be keeping a close eye on the developments surrounding the World Cup winner, but Xavi has revealed that he is desperate for the 24-year-old to commit his future to the Catalan giants.
"It's very clear for me that Dembele must continue at Barcelona," Xavi said at his press conference on Monday. "He can be the best player in the world in his position as a winger and we have to help him achieve it. He is a footballer who can make the difference at Barcelona. His renewal is a priority.
"You have to help him so that he does not get injured. We have to help him with injury prevention so that he does not have more."
Dembele worked his way back from a serious knee injury to feature against Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League on November 2 but has since picked up a hamstring problem, which ruled him out of Saturday's La Liga clash with Celta Vigo.
Matt Law
