A tough one for Barcelona but Chelsea could be set to seal what could be the best bargain in club's history

Five years ago, Barcelona parted ways with £107 million to secure the services of 20-year-old promising winger, Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund.

Having sold Neymar Junior to PSG Paris Saint-Germain for transfer record fee, the club was on the lookout for a direct replacement and having impressed in his debut season in the Bundesliga, Dembele was chosen as the hier to the Brazilian.

The now 25-year-old signed for Borussia Dortmund from Stade de Rennais for €15 million after an impressive début season as a professional, where he scored twelve goals and assisted five in 22 league starts.

He carried that form into his debut and only season in the Bundesliga, where he started 22 games, as many he started his previous season, which was spent in the Ligue un.

Dembele scored six goals and registered twelve assists, proving some bargain for the Yellow Wall and also helping teammate, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang dethrone Robert Lewandowski of the Bundesliga top scorer award.

Aside his good return of goal contribution, Dembele was outstanding all-round as a playmaker among peers in the Bundesliga, despite only being a teenager.

He created 64 goal scoring chances for his teammates and completed 103 dribbles in the German top-flight, more than any other player that campaign.

His scintillating show was rewarded with the Rookie of the season and a place in the Bundesliga team of the season at the end of the season. He also won the VDV award for the best newcomer of the season.

He had also won the best young player of the season in the Ligue un in his first season as a professional.

He ended his spell in Germany with ten goals and 22 assists in 50 games for Dortmund.

And when Barcelona made him the most expensive player in the club's history, only few could question the decision, given the reputation he has built in such a short period.

However, severe and recurring injuries has been the highlight of his five years spell at the club and it was not until the second half of last season he did showed why Barcelona paid over £100 million to get him.

His injury problems started in his first season when he suffered one on his hamstring and was out for 106 days, missing 20 games and later that same season, he also suffered from a torn muscle bundle.

This time missed seven games having been sideline for a month.

Nonetheless he still impressed whenever he was available and was arguably the clubs best player after Lionel Messi, finishing with three goals and six assists in 12 league starts.

For a player who had never missed a game due to injury in his first two seasons as a professional spent at Stade de Rennais and Borussia Dortmund, Dembele suffered series of injuries in his five years spell at Barcelona.

He missed a total 102 games and spent over 23 months on the sideline. A disappointing incidence for both the club and the player.

He made a total of 149 appearances for Barcelona, scoring 32 goals and registered 34 assists.

In the second of of last season, Dembele assisted more goals than any other player in Europe top five leagues, and despite missing a significant part of the first half of the campaign, he ended the season with the most assists in the La Liga, beating Karim Benzema to the best playmaker award.

The France international created 45 chances last season in the league, despite making 21 appearances and starting only 15 times, his 2.9 chances created per 90 minutes is only bettered by Athletic Club's Iker Muniain, 3.4.

Unfortunately for the club, they could not convince him to extend his stay at the club when it look most likely he is set to fulfil his potentials. This decision is obviously not harsh on Barcelona, who are currently battling financial crisis.

Losing a £107 million investment for free at a time he appears his best was never part of the thoughts when they signed him five years ago and if there's any truth attached to Xavi's claims that the player and his agent wanting the money for themselves is the reason for not agreeing to new terms, then Dembele has indeed wronged the club.

The player and his agent have been reluctant to agree new terms with the club since January. Lack of proper management of his injury could also be one of the main reason the player wants to move away.

Having been compared to the likes of Kylian Mbappé and Kingsley Coman before moving to Spain, his countrymen have obviously surpassed him whilst he was always out injured.

Now all set to depart the club as a free agent and Chelsea is at the moment his likely destination. What a bargain that could be for the Londoners if they can keep him fit.

Thomas Tuchel was the boss at Dortmund when Dembele was signed and both the player and the manager enjoyed the year spent together, with Dembele also professing the Chelsea manager as the best he's worked with.

Chelsea are in the market for attacking reinforcement and Dembele could's ship could be headed for the Stamford Bridge to reunite with his former boss, under whom he has achieved most as an individual.

While the likes of Christian Pulisic, Calum Hudson-Odoi and Hakim Ziyech have not been convincing, the Frenchman could be the answer to Chelsea's cries.

There's no questioning Dembele's talent and signing him free would minimize the financial risk due to his injury record.

However, if he can continue to stay fit as he did in the second half of last season, the Premier league could be set to welcome a world beater, one who is very hungry for success and make up for deprived moments.

Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi