Ousmane Dembele must pass “a final exam” at Barcelona if he is to prove himself and justify a €105 million transfer fee, says Xavi.
The France international winger was acquired from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2017 with the funds generated by the record-breaking €222m sale of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain.
He arrived with a blossoming reputation, with the 20-year-old considered to have plenty of potential still to be
An injury-ravaged start to his time at Camp Nou has, however, hindered Dembele’s cause and prevented him from making the desired impact, with Xavi conceding that he still has plenty of questions to be answered.
The Blaugrana legend told So Foot: “He will need some time. Barca is like a final exam for a footballer. It is like Dembele is passing a Master's degree right now because not everyone can play for this club.
“Why? Because you have to know things three times more than elsewhere. Barca play on barely 30 metres of the pitch.
“Dembele has a lot of talent, he is very fast, but here, he is not going to have the space he had at Dortmund or Rennes. He had more space, so more time there.”
Pressed on what Dembele must do to fit the Barca mould, Xavi added: “He will have tOusmane Dembele must pass “a final exam” at Barcelona if he is to prove himself and justify a €105 million transfer fee, says Xavi.
The France international winger was acquired from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2017 with the funds generated by the record-breaking €222m sale of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain.
He arrived with a blossoming reputation, with the 20-year-old considered to have plenty of potential still to be unlocked.
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An injury-ravaged start to his time at Camp Nou has, however, hindered Dembele’s cause and prevented him from making the desired impact, with Xavi conceding that he still has plenty of questions to be answered.
The Blaugrana legend told So Foot: “He will need some time. Barca is like a final exam for a footballer. It is like Dembele is passing a Master's degree
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