Ousmane Dembele opens up on transfer from Barcelona to PSG

In a revealing interview, Ousmane Dembele shed light on his transfer from Barcelona to PSG this past summer, a move that had been speculated for several years but couldn't get completed until 2023.

The French winger, who spent six seasons at Barcelona, explained that the allure of Paris played a pivotal role in his decision to move from the capital of Catalonia.

"It was more Paris that made me change my mind than simply the fact of leaving Barcelona. I think, in any case, that it was a bit written in the wall that I'd end up signing to play at PSG one day," Dembele revealed to L'Equipe.

Dembele emphasized the influence of friends and supporters of the Parisian club, who consistently tried to convince him to join before and finally got the winger to complete the move last summer.

Dembele revealed that PSG's interest dates back several years, with initial contacts established during his time at Dortmund in the 2016-17 season. "PSG and Nasser Al-Khelaifi have been interested in signing me for a long time. There were contacts in 2019 too, and finally this summer," he explained.

Contrary to speculation, Kylian Mbappe did not actively persuade Dembele to join PSG. "There wasn't even a call. He asked me if I was going to come, that's all. He didn't try to convince me or anything," clarified the French international.

Interestingly, the role of PSG coach Luis Enrique was crucial in Dembele's decision. "We have known each other for a long time because he wanted to bring me to Barcelona when I was still in Rennes... I felt from the first contacts the confidence he had in me," revealed Dembele.