Lionel Messi believes that Barcelona “need” Ousmane Dembele amid mounting transfer talk surrounding the World Cup winner.
The France international winger is into just his second season at Camp Nou, but questions continue to be asked of his ongoing presence.
Flashes of the brilliance which tempted Barca into a €105 million (£94m/$120m) deal have been shown, but Dembele’s attitude and inconsistency has fuelled the exit speculation.
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Arsenal are among those reported to be monitoring the 21-year-old’s situation ahead of the January window, with another big-money move being mooted.