After joining Barcelona, Dembele has shown a lack of professionalism on numerous occasions. He is addicted to being late, loves junk food and is even absent from training for no reason. When playing, he is not willing to run back for defense. He is like a huge baby worth 150 million euros who hasn’t grown up. Barcelona had previously adopted a relatively gentle way to deal with Dembele’s problems, but now the club’s top executives intend to be more strict with him.
Spanish media Diario Sport pointed out that Barcelona asked Dembele to change his attitude immediately. If Dembele won’t change himself, he will probably continue to be out of the start XI or even the roster in the next few weeks. At the same time, Barcelona has also begun to consider the possibility of selling Dembele in the summer. If there is a team in the summer to offer 100 million euros for Dembele, Barcelona will be happy to let go of the French. Compared to the 150 million euros when Dembele joined Barcelona, Barca could accept a one-third drop in price just in order to let him leave.
Dembele was absent from training on November 8. Afterwards, he claimed that his mobile phone had no electricity, so he could not inform the club for this absence in time. When the club finally made contact with him, he said his stomach didn’t feel well and need doctor to check him. So the Barcelona team doctor went to Dembele home.
A friend of Dembele came to open the door. After entering the house, the team doctor found a few French boys sleeping in the room. Dembele was the last person to wake up. He claimed that he was infected with gastroenteritis, but the team doctor did not find any symptoms of his illness. According to reports, Dembele had played games with friends for a long time, and he forgot to set an alarm clock in the morning, so eventually he missed the training. The so-called gastroenteritis is just an excuse.
Barcelona thought the reason why Dembele is so unprofessional is largely related to the friends around him. Many of the friends he grew up with are now coming to Barcelona with him. They stay together all day and it does little help to him. The club has also informed the agent of Dembele. He has to change his life, focus on the team, his work and career, and put his friends and game aside – even just for a period of time.