Barcelona president says Dembélé rejected 2 offers to leave
By TALES AZZONI
AP Sports Writer
MADRID (AP) — Barcelona came agonizingly close to losing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but it never really had a chance of getting rid of Ousmane Dembélé. Barcelona president Joan Laporta says the deal to sign Aubameyang was sealed a minute before the transfer window deadline ended on Monday night and that Dembélé inexplicably rejected two good offers to leave the club. He says the club was “surprised” with the player’s decision. Barcelona did not want Dembélé to stay after the French player’s agents turned down several offers to extend his contract in negotiations that lasted nearly six months.