Barca recruited Dembel for a huge fee totaling 140 million Euros, but what he showed in the Blaugrana shirt was not worth that amount.
On Monday morning, both Mundo Deportivo and Sport reported that Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are “at war” over Ousmane Dembele – which seems a bit strange, as the Frenchman is not a player worth fighting for, in the least is from the perspective of the Blaugrana.
PSG’s interest is understandable, of course. Dembele is an incredibly talented football player. If Luis Enrique can get him fully fit and active, the 26-year-old could still become a true superstar. Xavi knows that too, and is said to have pleaded with the player to “think about Neymar”, who has long regretted leaving Camp Nou for Parc des Princes in 2017.
“I’m a bit disappointed with Dembele,” the Barca coach admitted after the friendly match with AC Milan on Wednesday. “He has decided to go to PSG. We can’t do anything.”
Dembele’s ability has been clear for a long time. Former Rennes sporting director Mikael Silvestre describes him as the most naturally talented young player he has seen since teaming up with Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, with Thomas Tuchel saying it was great to be watched Dembele’s “exceptional” skills in training at Borussia Dortmund, while Martin Braithwaite admitted he was overwhelmed by Dembele when he joined Barcelona in 2020.There were concerns about Dembele’s attitude shortly before his initial €105m (£90m / $116m) move to Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund, with the French accusing the French of destroying the apartment he had rented. in Germany from Jurgen Klopp.
It’s also worth remembering that while former Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu publicly stated that Dembele was better than the man he actually replaced, Neymar, the club are looking at cutting losses on the striker as early as May. October 2018.
By then, it was clear that Dembele was terribly lacking in discipline. He is always late for team meetings, with tardiness attributed to his penchant for playing video games into the early morning, while his diet is an insult for an athlete professional. A source told of countless fast food boxes found at his home, while a healthy fish dish prepared by his former chef was thrown away.
The difference between Mbappe’s effectiveness and quality on the opposite flank was clear – and, from Barcelona’s perspective, quite painful. According to agent Junior Minguella, Barca had a deal worth 155 million euros (£134 million / $184 million) to sign Mbappe before he moved to PSG the same summer as Neymar, but ultimately decided that Dembele ” more suitable for the team’s playing style.”In some ways, Dembele’s departure from Barcelona to join PSG was a fitting final act in light of all the events that preceded it, because his career at Camp Nou has always been characterized by disappointment. Xavi really shouldn’t be surprised by the Frenchman’s decision to join PSG because he has never done anything but disappoint Barca.
In fact, the lasting image of his time with this team will be of Dembele trying to help a tired Lionel Messi to his feet after the Argentine had put the ball on the plate for him in the closing seconds of Barca’s Champions League match against Liverpool in 2019. If Dembele scores, even Jurgen Klopp’s ‘psychological monsters’ will not believe that a comeback is possible at Anfield. Of course, Dembele cannot be solely responsible for the shocking collapse in the second leg that followed, but this missed opportunity sums up his career at Barca quite well.