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#2 Ousmane Dembele making a case for Barcelona stay
The 21-year-old has immense pressure on his shoulder right from when he was signed as the multi-million pound replacement for Brazilian superstar Neymar (and this much showed in his Barca unveiling where the Frenchman struggled to perform even the most basic of keepy-ups).
Things got worse for Dembele when he had an injury hampered debut season at Camp Nou, missing a total of almost five months which hampered his integration with the team, and prompted the signing of Philippe Coutinho for a club record fee.
To make matters worse, Brazilian winger Malcom was signed in controversial circumstances from Bordeaux, which further put Dembele's Barca future in speculation.
Reports of unprofessionalism off he field, as well as turning up late for training and poor dietary choices doing little to help his claim, amidst rumors suggesting that Barca were fed up with him and ready to cut a loss on him less than two years into his contract.
Some of his teammates such as Luis Suarez and Gerard Pique had come out to chastise him, and Dembele's body language on the field seemed to suggest a player who had accepted his fate.
However, on his day, the World Cup winner is a real asset to any team, possessing the ability to unlock any defense with his abundance of pace and trickery.
He has shown his usefulness to the Barcelona cause this season.
He has chipped in with vital goals against Sevilla in the Super Cup and Atletico Madrid in LaLiga, as well as an exquisitely taken 'worldie' against PSV in the Champions League which even Messi would have been proud of.
Against Espanyol, Dembele starred with a well taken curler for Barcelona's second to give them leverage, while also showing the presence of mind to set up Messi with a sitter (which the Argentine should have converted).
Dembele is still not wihout his flaws (evidenced by some exhilarating mistakes which e made to the consternation of his teammates especially Suarez), but with his unique ability with both feet, Barca would do well to do all they can to keep hold of him.
