Ousmane Dembélé caused shockwaves when he moved to Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona in the 2023 summer transfer window. While he was, for long, considered to be among the best players to have turned up for La Blaugrana, his diminishing returns while operating on the right wing seemed frustrating.
Ousmane Dembélé’s Move to PSG – A Risky Gamble?
Quite naturally, there were a lot of mixed reactions to Dembélé’s departure from Camp Nou, especially after he had won three La Liga titles, two Copa del Reys and two Super Cups, among other honours with them. The only trophy missing from Dembélé’s cabinet was the UEFA Champions League.
That he left Spain for his native country France in 2023 could have been spurred by the desire to win the Champions League, which was among the reasons speculated by sections of the press. However, he chose Paris Saint-Germain, a club widely renowned for dominating French domestic football, but not having won the continental tournament even once so far.
— Ousmane Dembélé (@dembouz) September 14, 2024
A lot of Dembélé supporters were dismayed by his move to the French club, especially those who remembered his exploits on the wing for Barca in the 2018-19 season, where he found the back of the net on 14 occasions in 43 matches across all competitions.
Having been signed from German giants Borussia Dortmund only a couple of seasons before, the Frenchman seemed to live up to the expectations that millions of Barcelona supporters had of him. However, in the seasons that followed, these loyal supporters hardly saw the best of Dembélé as they had envisioned.
Struggles and Inconsistencies at Barcelona
The 27-year-old scored just one goal in 2019-20, although he missed out for the majority of the season with an injury. Being injury-prone is a bane that Dembélé carries around himself, and his return in 2020-21 sparked a revival of sorts with 11 goals. Strangely, though, his from dipped alarmingly after this campaign.
Ousmane Dembélé vs Brest pic.twitter.com/AQq10dybzh
— PSG Comps (@CompsPSG) February 11, 2025
In the next two campaigns, Dembélé scored just ten goals for Barcelona in 67 appearances across all competitions, although it must be noted that his assists were a whopping 22 in the two seasons combined. Still, when the 2023 summer transfer window arrived, Dembélé did not seem the player whom Barcelona had hoped he would become.
As a result, he was shipped off to Paris Saint-Germain, where he endured a poor start to life with just six goals in 43 matches across all competitions in 2023-24. However, the 12 assists he bagged that campaign gave his new supporters the hope that something might be cooking.
Ousmane Dembélé Has Turned His Career Around in 2024-25
And, yes, what a turnaround Dembélé had in 2024-25, the ongoing season. In the 28 matches he has played so far, he has found the back of the net on 23 occasions and also bagged five assists. 19 of those goals have come in the Ligue 1 alone, in which PSG are currently ranked first in the table, and seem destined to win.
However, what has been most interesting about Dembélé’s turnaround in form is that he has scored six goals in seven Champions League outings, which was something he had never done in the past ever since he entered the common imagination by scoring two continental goals for Borussia Dortmund in 2016-17.
It’s time to talk about the Ousmane Dembele regen… 🇫🇷💪 pic.twitter.com/YhlafjcACh
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) February 12, 2025
One of the biggest reasons why Dembélé has been able to make this turnaround is the presence of PSG manager Luis Enrique. Although he did not work with the Frenchman at Barcelona, Enrique knew exactly what made him tick, and gave him the permission, freedom, and licence – call it what you like – to terrify opponents in the attacking third.
The duo missed each other at Barcelona for a brief while, with Enrique leaving in May 2017 and Dembélé arriving in August 2023. However, at PSG, Enrique was the driving force behind the club signing him, and as a result, he has turned Dembélé into a goalscoring monster who eats, sleeps, scores goals and repeats.
Tactical and Technical Changes That Transformed Dembélé
Dembélé has been primarily played on the right wing by Enrique, but has also been asked to play as the false number nine or left winger. This has allowed the player to be good with both his feet and bring his colleagues into play. Dembélé’s recent transformation has a lot to do with the technical changes he has made as well.
Dembélé in 2025… different level 🤯 pic.twitter.com/9Dgbm7Cce3
— 433 (@433) February 11, 2025
He has been noticeably nimbler with his feet this season, which can be attributed to the fact that he has maintained his core weight while shooting and not lost out on the shape he intends to keep while striking the ball. This may have been something Enrique worked with Dembélé in training behind the scenes. Dembélé’s head positioning is also a technical factor that has helped him in being more prolific.
Dembélé’s Mentality Shift – From Potential to Performance
Some of the other changes the Spanish manager made with Dembélé is by imbibing the ‘winning mentality’ in him, and asking him to showcase the desire and hunger to overcome all the challenges he has faced so far in his career. This was a make-or-break season for Dembélé since he had only shown potential without performance so far.
However, with his recent performances, one can safely say that Dembélé has started living up to the expectations everyone around him had, as was seen in most stunning fashion in the couple of braces he picked up against Monaco in Ligue 1 and Brest in the UEFA Champions League. Enrique has truly helped revive Dembélé’s form and fortunes.
