Ousmane Dembélé: Mbappé played a significant part in my transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, yet my preference was to stay with Barcelona!

 Ousmane Dembélé: Mbappé played a significant part in my transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, yet my preference was to stay with Barcelona!

Paris Saint-Germain's Ousmane Dembélé disclosed the pivotal reason behind his departure from Barcelona last summer and shared insights into his transition to the Parisian club in an extensive interview with French newspaper L'Equipe. Amid criticism for not scoring goals at his new team, Dembélé remained unfazed, emphasizing that his performance should not be solely measured by goal-scoring.

Discussing Paris Saint-Germain's objectives for the current season, Dembélé highlighted that the club's focus isn't solely fixated on the Champions League but involves other ambitions. While acknowledging that he must contribute more to his new team, he stressed that personal performance shouldn't be solely defined by scoring goals. He noted that in 2023, statistics are often given more weight than other aspects of a player's game.

Regarding his departure from Barcelona to join Paris Saint-Germain for over 50 million euros, Dembélé revealed that while the Parisian club had shown interest in him during his Borussia Dortmund days, his initial goal was to play for Barcelona. However, he ultimately chose to sign with Paris Saint-Germain, expressing that Paris was the place he desired to be, indicating his decision was more than just a personal desire to leave Barcelona.

Dembélé acknowledged his excellent two years at Barcelona, particularly under Xavi's trust, but stated that joining Paris Saint-Germain felt like fate, mentioning the influence of friends and followers of the club who constantly encouraged him to make the move.

Regarding Kylian Mbappé's role in his transfer, Dembélé clarified that there wasn't a persuasive effort from Mbappé, as there wasn't even a call involved. Mbappé simply inquired whether he would consider joining, without attempting to convince him.

In summary, Dembélé emphasized that while his departure from Barcelona was influenced by various factors, the allure of Paris Saint-Germain and its unique appeal played a significant role, and Mbappé's involvement in his move was limited to a mere inquiry without any attempt at persuasion.