Journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that all outstanding bonus payments related to Ousmane Dembele’s transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona have now been fully settled.
Interestingly, the total amount paid to Dortmund has reached a staggering €148 million.
It must be noted that Barcelona signed Dembele during the summer of 2017 when the young French winger was only 20 years old. The initial transfer fee was €105 million, with an additional €40 million in potential add-ons.
The deal was largely funded by the €222 million Barcelona had received from Paris Saint-Germain after Neymar’s buyout clause was triggered.
For several years, Dembele’s transfer was seen as one of Barcelona’s worst investments, largely due to his struggles with injuries and inconsistent performances.
However, the title of the most ineffective signing would later shift to Philippe Coutinho, who cost Barcelona even more and delivered less on the pitch.
Conditions of Dembele’s transfer fee
The high price Barcelona had to pay for Dembele was partly due to Neymar’s departure. Dortmund, aware of Barcelona’s new financial windfall, raised their asking price significantly.
Originally, Barcelona had baulked at paying €90 million for Dembele. However, after Neymar left, they were forced to agree to a higher sum of €105 million, plus several performance-based bonuses.
Some of these bonus payments were easy to meet. For instance, Barcelona had to pay €5 million each time they qualified for the Champions League, which they did twice during Dembele’s time at the club.
Additionally, Dortmund was entitled to €5 million every time Dembele reached 25 appearances for Barcelona, a condition that triggered multiple payments.
Now, more than a year after Dembele’s departure from the club, Barcelona have settled all remaining debts owed to Dortmund. The saga of this expensive transfer has finally come to an end.
