Ousmane Dembele Will Stay at Barcelona '1000%,' Says Agent

Gill Clark @@gillclarkyFeatured Columnist IIAugust 20, 2019

BARCELONA, SPAIN - AUGUST 4: Ousmane Dembele of FC Barcelona during the Club Friendly match between FC Barcelona v Arsenal at the Camp Nou on August 4, 2019 in Barcelona Spain (Photo by Erwin Spek/Soccrates/Getty Images)

Soccrates Images/Getty Images

Ousmane Dembele is "1000 percent" staying at Barcelona and is determined to succeed at the Camp Nou, according to his agent Moussa Sissoko.

The French forward's representative released a statement on Monday outlining the player's commitment to the Spanish champions, per Get French Football News.

"Ousmane is a Barcelona man and will remain so 1000 percent with the firm desire to honour the club's colours," he said.

Sissoko added that Dembele "has not for a second had the intention of leaving" the Camp Nou "despite approaches from several big European clubs."

Serie A champions Juventus have been in touch with Barcelona with regard to a move for the 22-year-old, according to Mundo Deportivo (h/t Football Espana).

The former Borussia Dortmund man has already turned down the chance to move to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer transfer window, according to Le Parisien (h/t Jack Otway at the Daily Express).

Dembele is currently sidelined after picking up a hamstring injury that has ruled him out of action for five weeks:

FC Barcelona @FCBarcelona
FC Barcelona player @Dembouz has been diagnosed with a strain to his left hamstring, and is set to miss the next five weeks with the injury https://t.co/I5zJTcsz5e

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The setback is the latest in a succession of injuries that the youngster has suffered since joining Barcelona from Dortmund in the summer of 2017. The deal could end up costing Barca £135.5 million, per BBC Sport.

There have been reports that Barcelona are angry with Dembele for covering up the injury and flying out to Senegal, as shown by AS:

AS English @English_AS
Barça are fuming with Ousmane Dembélé after the winger covered up the extent of his hamstring injury to spend the weekend in Senegal: https://t.co/U4JrWGw5MR https://t.co/nVwv3PuUAg

Sissoko told Mundo Deportivo (h/t AS) the reports are untrue and that Dembele was in France with his mother.

Dembele's latest setback has drawn plenty of scrutiny and means by the time he returns he will have missed 44 games and spent 263 days on the injured list, according to football writer Zach Lowy.

Sports commentator Andy West offered his view:

Andy West @andywest01
It's tough to criticise players for being injured, but the hard truth is that being fit and available to play is a fundamental part of the job. Bale and Dembele are worth less (nb not worthless) because they cannot be relied upon to play every week.

The setback also sees Dembele join fellow attackers Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez on the injured list ahead of Barcelona's second La Liga game of the season against Real Betis on Sunday.

Dembele's injury problems will be a source of frustration for Barcelona, and there's a sense the club may be starting to run out of patience with the forward in his third season in Spain.

There will be increased pressure on the youngster to perform when he does return to first-team action, although his agent has made it clear the Frenchman is keen to stay at Barcelona and prove his worth.