The France forward has been on an electrifying run since the turn of the year, and at long last looks ready to unlock his full potential
Ousmane Dembele may well go down as the worst signing in Barcelona's history. He was brought in from Borussia Dortmund to replace Neymar in a blockbuster €135 million (£112m/$139m) deal back in the summer of 2017, but didn't come close to emulating the Brazilian, as that price tag proved to be a huge weight around his neck.
After six underwhelming seasons that saw Dembele score just 24 La Liga goals and miss over 100 games through injury, Barca cut their losses on the Frenchman when selling him to Paris Saint-Germain for just €50m (£42m/$51m). It was an embarrassing moment for the Spanish giants, but Dembele wasn't missed in the slightest.
Barca were better off without the problem child, and it was no surprise when he didn't hit the ground running at Parc des Princes. Dembele did finish his debut season at PSG strongly under Luis Enrique, but still only found the net six times in 41 appearances in all competitions, with the Rennes academy graduate admitting to that Ligue 1 had become "much stronger than when I left".
Most people had written Dembele off as a supremely talented player who didn't have the mindset to reach the very top. But something has changed in the 27-year-old this season; Dembele is finally proving he can be a consistent difference-maker, helping PSG re-emerge as a major force in the process, and a spot among the world's elite awaits if he can keep it up.
GettyRising to the challenge
Dembele returned to PSG in July after a rotten Euro 2024 campaign with France, in which he failed to register a single goal contribution, but bounced back impressively, recording eight in his first eight Ligue 1 appearances at the start of the new season. It was to be another false dawn for Dembele, though, as he was dropped for a Champions League trip to Arsenal for "not meeting obligations".
The suggestion was that Dembele was falling short of the required standard in training, as Luis Enrique added: "If someone doesn’t comply or respect the expectations of the team, it means they are not prepared to play. I took the best decision for the team and that is why I signed here, to create a team that has a strong identity and has a lot of character."
Perhaps surprisingly given his history, Dembele reacted by displaying plenty of character as he immediately set about winning back the trust of his manager. There were more setbacks, including a controversial red card in PSG's disappointing 1-0 Champions League loss to Bayern Munich, but Dembele gradually made himself indispensable again.
The tide turned after a 3-1 league win over Lyon on December 15. Dembele scored the opener to cap a stellar all-round performance, and his confidence levels have since gone through the roof.
AdvertisementGetty Images'He has no equal'
The goal against Lyon was the first of 14 that Dembele has scored in his last nine games for PSG. That's the most prolific run of his entire career, and he's also been able to etch his name into the club's history books.
Dembele scored three times in PSG's 4-1 Champions League rout of Stuttgart, and then repeated the trick in the 5-2 league win over Brest last Saturday. He is the first PSG player to ever score back-to-back hat-tricks, which is some feat considering Parc des Princes has been home to world-class players such as Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Edinson Cavani, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic over the last decade alone.
Luis Enrique made no attempt to play down the achievement either, telling : "Ousmane can become the player he wants to be. If he remains confident in front of goal, he has no equal. He can score in any position, even with his head. He's a phenomenal player. I think it's wonderful when you have a player like Ousmane in such good form, and I think all the players put in a great performance."
Getty ImagesWhat's changed?
Dembele's sudden surge is not just a coincidence. Luis Enrique has reaped the benefits of moving the former Barcelona winger into the No.9 slot, with PSG's only natural centre-forward, Goncalo Ramos, still struggling for form and fitness.
"I'm well placed, I'm in the role of number nine and I have to score goals," Dembele said after the Brest game. That all-or-nothing attitude is a big reason for his improvement; Dembele has embraced the extra responsibility that comes with leading the line after years of, in his own words, being "attached to the wing" at Barcelona.
Last season, Luis Enrique described Dembele as the "best in the world" at taking players on, but his end product was always lacking on the right flank. Dembele is predominately left-footed, but has admitted that he shoots better with his right, which is the side he has always taken penalties with.
Now that he's playing closer to the goal, Dembele is able to let fly with his right foot far more frequently, and the results have been devastating.
AFPMbappe's endorsement
Moving into a new position is not the only reason Dembele has finally started unlocking his potential, though. His ex-PSG team-mate Kylian Mbappe told last week: "I'm not surprised. I'm his number-one supporter. I've known his qualities since we were 14. I also think he's had a mental breakthrough which means he's more relaxed in front of goal. He's a top player!"
Mbappe added: "I think he's doing very well and he's PSG's main attacking player. Given the form he's in at the moment, he can't set himself any limits, he has to continue like this and he'll finish the year with a lot of wins." Indeed, there appears to be no ceiling for this version of Dembele, who is certainly the most deadly forward in Ligue 1 right now.
Dembele often trudged through games at Barcelona, but now he's playing with a smile on his face and a spring in his step. Defenders across Europe are quivering with fear whenever he gets on the ball, knowing full well that he only needs a yard of space to make a decisive impact.
Mbappe backed his compatriot to fill his boots at PSG after picking up his fifth successive Ligue 1 Player of the Year gong last May, telling supporters: "I have shared and played with incredible players, like Dembele, he is a friend and one day he will pick up this award."
That day could come sooner than even Mbappe expected. In this headspace, Dembele is almost unstoppable, and PSG have a chance against any opponent purely because of his presence.
