Barcelona hitman Lionel Messi has reportedly revealed that Ousmane Dembele could stay at the club until 2019 amid speculation over the Frenchman’s future.
The French international joined the Catalan side last summer for a reported fee of €147 million from Borussia Dortmund to replace Brazilian playmaker Neymar, who left Barcelona to join Paris Saint Germain for a world record fee of €222 million.
Having endured a difficult start to life at Barcelona after being plagued by injury, the French attacker has found games hard to come by since returning from a recent hamstring injury and has been linked with a move away from the Nou Camp this summer with Barcelona reportedly already ready to replace him with Atletico Madrid forward Antoinne Griezmann in the summer.
However, according to reports from the Spanish publication Don Balon via The Express, Barcelona forward Lionel Messi suggests otherwise, as he believes the 20-year-old won’t be sold this summer, but could be set to leave the Nou Camp in 2019 should he fail to find his feet at the club.
Arsenal have been linked with a move for Ousmane Dembele in the summer, but might have to wait until the summer of 2019 as they hope to reunite him with former team-mate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Dembele has been limited to just 18 appearances for the La Liga leaders across all competition scoring once and providing five assists and he is best known for his blistering pace, finishing, creativity, crossing, and technique and work rate.
