When now-former Barcelona sporting director Robert Fernandez traveled to Rennes to watch a Ligue 1 fixture between Stade Rennais F.C. and FC Nantes, he hoped to see a glimpse of the French wonderkid Ousmane Dembele. Instead, he got more than just a glimpse as Dembele wowed with a hat-trick in a 4-1 win. His performance spiked interest from Barca and they kept him on their radar even after his move to Borussia Dortmund in 2016.
After the drama-filled Neymar transfer saga last summer, Barca officials believed that it was best to accelerate a deal with Dortmund to finally bring in Dembele.