Borussia Dortmund winger Ousmane Dembele joins Barcelona in €105 million move to replace idol Neymar
French midfielder moved from Rennes for €15 million in July 2016 and had refused to train with the Bundesliga side
Fleet-footed winger Ousmane Dembele has finally been granted his dream move to Barcelona as Borussia Dortmund pocket a massive transfer fee for the precocious French talent.
Having forced Dortmund’s hand by going on strike and refusing to train, the German club were left with little choice but to suspend the temperamental 20-year-old and eventually sell him to the Spanish giants.
The €105 million (HK$979 million) set to be forked out by Barcelona, not including potential add-ons, dwarfs the €15 million Dortmund paid Rennes for Dembele in July 2016.
The high-profile move on a five-year deal means Dembele will fill the boots of his idol, Neymar, as Barcelona look to bolster their attack after the Brazilian’s record move to Paris Saint-Germain.
Dembele joined Rennes’ academy when he was 13 and having made his first team debut in November 2015, his silky skills combined with sudden bursts of pace and lethal crosses quickly dazzled defences.
