The 2017 acquisition of Ousmane Dembélé from Borussia Dortmund ultimately cost Barcelona $158.36 million, including bonuses. Although the initial transfer fee was $112.35 million, the final amount rose due to easily achievable bonuses.
One such bonus was a $10.7 million payment to Borussia Dortmund when Barcelona qualified for the Champions League twice.
The report indicates that after Barcelona’s Super Cup defeat to Real Madrid, the club became eager to make a major signing, prompting Borussia Dortmund to capitalize on the situation by adding extra bonuses, thus inflating the price.
As a result, Barcelona ended up paying significantly more than the initial transfer fee, with the total cost reaching $158.36 million, highlighting the complex and unpredictable nature of high-profile football transfers.
