Ousmane Dembélé, here to stay
Ousmane Dembélé provided a remainder of the quality he possesses.
After Neymar’s world-shocking transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, Barcelona were forced to search the market for his replacement and they fell upon French youngster Ousmane Dembélé. A stunning 105 million fee for the former Borussia Dortmund striker, who had Barca fans counting down the days until his arrival to the Camp Nou. However, this season was full of ups and downs for the player, failing to meet the high expectations. His long-term injuries plagued him from fully adapting to the Catalan club and it also took a heavy toll on his fitness and performances.
A foggy future with the Catalan Giants?
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Dembélé’s lack of consistency in Barca’s call-ups sounded many alarms within the squad, creating a foggy future with the Blaugrana. Ernesto Valverde has opted for several other players such as Paco Alcacer, and Paulinho before calling up the Frenchman, which has not only caused controversy with the forward but also with the fans. Things got even worse during Barcelona’s horrific night in Rome, when the Catalans took a major beating by the Italians to get knocked out from the Champions League. That night, Dembélé, a vital figure for his past team, Dortmund, watched the match from the sidelines, sparking more rumours about a potential loan during this summer market.
But Dembélé has shut down all the talk regarding a possible move away from the Camp Nou after his flawless performance against Villarreal on Wednesday.
A night to remember
It was a night that will be forever remembered for the Frenchman. Valverde gave Dembélé the start from the get-go, as he took over Luis Suarez’s spot in the attack alongside Lionel Messi and Philippe Coutinho. From assisting the first goal to scoring the last two goals, Dembélé walked off the pitch in smiles, proving a point to the coach as well as the club, that he deserves to stay.
The footballer’s performance was spot-on, completing 7 dribbles, and having an 88 percent pass accuracy. His touches and strong runs on the right side of the field gave a glimpse of what the future could look like with the Frenchman in Blaugrana colours. The striker has bagged four goals and seven assists in all competitions this season, exceptional statistics from the youngster, who barely had any playing time due to injuries and technical decisions.
Nonetheless, on Wednesday night, a game in which Barcelona secured yet another home victory (5-1), the French youngster showed the world he was worth his expensive price tag. The Catalans will be keen to hold onto Dembélé, a player that looks to be the future of Barcelona.