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Arsenal news: Sven Mislintat talks up Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele amid transfer links
ARSENAL head of recruitment Sven Mislintat has lauded Barcelona star Ousmane Dembele amid transfer links to the player.
Arsenal have emerged as potential suitors for Dembele with the Barcelona star’s long-term future in Catalonia shrouded in uncertainty.
The France international’s conduct off the field has left much to be desired, with the La Liga giants’ coaching staff beginning to despair.
Barcelona have grown frustrated with the player, who they signed for £134million from Borussia Dortmund back in the summer of 2017.
They feel the winger has an addiction to his PlayStation - while they also supposedly believe Dembele’s entourage are doing little to make him better.
Arsenal are currently the favourites to sign him.
And Mislintat, who brought the player to Dortmund from Rennes in 2016, has waxed lyrical about the Barcelona star.
“I saw him, he had not even played for Stade Rennes in the first team,” he told Zeit.
“I bet he did not know which foot he used in certain situations because he just did not think about it.
“I felt this is a really special player.
“Shinji Kagawa was one of those. We were in Japan ten times, but actually I was safe after the first 30 minutes of play. Nobody could grab it.
“With one move, he changed the entire direction of the game.”
Dembele left Dortmund for Barcelona in controversial circumstances.
The France international appeared to go on strike in order to ensure his move to go the Nou Camp go through.
Mislintat, however, has played down the way the Barcelona star left.
“The change was made by the signatures of the club officials, not by a strike,” he said.
Arsenal are NOT going to sign Dembele, expert says
“As a club, we must channel the strengths and weaknesses of our players and stop complaining.
“Ousmane did not come to training – right. But this ability to develop strategies to exploit every gap was worth gold on the field.
“Ousmane decided to play games for us and was significantly responsible for the 2017 cup victory.
“Many of these top players who make the difference come from different environments, where they became hungry for promotion and success.
"They have a special intrinsic motivation.”