Ousmane Dembélé isn't for sale
Barça have spoken to the player to reassure him that he's a key part of their plans going forward
Ousmane Dembélé isn't for sale. The young French forward, who demonstrated his quality in the Spanish Super Cup with a fine performance and an even better goal, can be relaxed about his future. That is what the club told the player. He's part of the first team's plans for next season and is considered a key member of Ernesto Valverde's team.
Over the last few weeks there have been rumours surrounding Dembele's future and the fact Barça might be open to selling him this summer. This came after his poor debut season, not helped by injuries, and the fact another young winger was signed in the form of Malcom. Were Barcelona about to cash in on the man they spent €145m on last summer?
However, and to the surprise of many, Dembele started the Spanish Super Cup match against Sevilla and Malcom didn't even make the bench. It was Valverde putting his trust in Dembele. "He was a starter despite being one of the last to return from his holiday," said Barça sources. Dembele repaid that faith in him by playing fantastically well and scoring the winning goal.
the player's doubts
Those same sources claim that it was Dembele himself who had doubts about his future at the club following the arrival of Malcom. However the club has let the player know that they have a lot of faith in his ability and his future as a footballer. For this reason, Barça have no intention of selling Dembele this summer. Another matter would be if a €100m+ bid came in as it would then be more than just a sporting decision, but rather an economical one.
The key to Dembele's future is dependent, without any doubt, on the player's attitude. "If he's focused and settled, he could be a key player for Valverde," according to a Barça source. The proof was his performance against Sevilla. The young winger, who operated as much on the right as he did the left, played 86 minutes and was very impressive: 42 passes, two shots on target and scored an absolute cracker. He did lose possession 14 times though and that's one aspect of his game he needs to improve.
