Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele has reportedly rejected a €200m (£173m) salary in Saudi Arabia in order to stay and sign a new contract at the Camp Nou.
The 26-year-old was the subject of interest from Al-Nassr, who were ready to pay his €50m (£43m) buyout clause, as well as offering a four-year deal which would have seen him earn an extraordinary amount.
However, the Frenchman has rejected the deal, amidst ongoing negotiations over a new contract at Barcelona, and this has reinforced his desire to stay at the club and continue working under Xavi.
Foot Mercato have reported that Al-Nassr, who have Cristiano Ronaldo on their books, were willing to offer this incredible salary to Dembele to convince him to move. There was also interest from Paris Saint-Germain in the winger, but he is set to reject all this interest and continue at Barcelona.
How has Dembele performed under Xavi?
It has not always been plain sailing for Dembele at Barcelona, as years of struggles with injuries and form had many question whether he had a long-term future at the club.
However, his best spells in a Barcelona shirt have come under the Spaniard, as he found consistency in his fitness, and has started to thrive on both wings.
In his entire career, Dembele only made more appearances under Ernesto Valverde (74) than Xavi (66), but whilst he has 10 goals under Xavi compared to 19 under Valverde, he has racked up 22 assists under his current manager, more than under anyone else.
Dembele is now entering his prime years, and it is a good sign for the club that the player is keen on committing his future to the club and looks set to perform at the levels of his very high potential.
If he can continue his strong displays and stay fit, he can become one of the key senior players in the team going forward.