Ousmane Dembele move to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has been a subject of discussion recently, with the French star shedding light on his decision. Dembele expressed his belief that it was destiny for him to join PSG at some point in his career, even though he hadn’t initially planned for it to happen this year.
His journey to stardom began at Ligue 1 side Rennes as a teenage sensation, but it was his remarkable spell at Borussia Dortmund in Germany during the 2016/17 season that truly catapulted him to the status of one of Europe’s most promising young players. He recorded impressive stats, scoring 10 goals and providing 18 assists in all competitions.
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This outstanding form caught the attention of Barcelona, who splashed a substantial €105 million, with an additional €40 million in add-ons, to secure his services. However, Dembele’s time at Camp Nou was marred by persistent injury woes, causing him to miss a staggering 141 competitive matches for both club and country.
After a resurgence in fitness and form towards the end of the 2022/23 season, Barcelona initiated discussions with Dembele to extend his existing two-year deal signed in July 2022. Despite these talks, Dembele ultimately chose to embark on a new chapter with PSG, signing a five-year contract for a fee of €50.4 million. He revealed in an interview with L’Equipe that he would have stayed at Barcelona had PSG not come calling.
Ousmane Dembele Speaking In An Interview With L’Equipe
Dembele’s admission sheds light on the factors that led him to make the move to PSG, emphasizing the pivotal role the French club played in his decision-making process.
Speaking in the interview, Dembele opened up about the decision to join Paris Saint-Germain, admitting that he would have signed a new Barca deal had the French side not come calling.
“Indeed, I said I would stay at Barcelona, but after contacts with PSG, I was convinced to leave.”
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“Kylian did not try to convince me, I came to Paris because I love the club, it is a French club and I love it. I come from Evreux, not far from here. Everyone here talks about Paris Saint-Germain. It was written that one day I would sign for this club,” Dembele explained.
“I have many friends, supporters of the club, who always tried to convince me to come. Was it easy to choose after my best months in Barcelona? I wanted to sign for PSG.”
Dembele had previously spoken about his desire to win trophies with PSG, having grown up relatively nearby in Evreux in the southeast of neighboring region Normandy.
