Barcelona's Total Payment for Ousmane Dembélé Revealed
In 2017, the Frenchman became the most expensive signing in Barcelona's history. The actual amount paid to Borussia Dortmund has now been revealed.
The signing of French winger Ousmane Dembélé by Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2017 ultimately cost the Catalan club a total of $158.36 million, including all bonuses, according to the sports magazine 'Sport Bild'.
According to this source, the transfer, which had an initial fixed amount of $112.35 million, included a series of easily achievable bonuses. For instance, Borussia Dortmund received $10.7 million because Barcelona qualified for the Champions League twice.
The report details that the price paid by Barcelona was inflated because "a few weeks earlier, the Catalans had been beaten by their arch-rival Real Madrid in the Super Cup final," creating a need for a top-tier signing, which allowed the cost to rise due to the urgency.
This situation "enabled then-sporting director Michael Zorc to include bonus payments in the contract as planned."