“Welcome home” - Kylian Mbappe sends heartwarming message to Ousmane Dembele after PSG move
Kylian Mbappe has welcomed Ousmane Dembele to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) following his move from Barcelona.
Dembele, 26, has joined the Ligue 1 champions from Barca for €50 million. He has signed a five-year deal at the Parc des Princes and leaves the Blaugrana as a three-time La Liga champion.
The Frenchman's compatriot Mbappe has sent the speedy winger a welcome message upon his arrival at PSG. He posted a snap of Dembele holding up the Parisians' shirt for the first time on his Instagram story as well as a picture of himself and the attacker. He stated:
“Welcome home, brother. So happy to see you here. The adventure begins!”
Dembele infuriated Barcelona when he informed the Catalan giants that he wanted to make the move to PSG. He was in fine form last season despite injury issues, bagging eight goals and nine assists in 35 games across competitions.
The France international joins a Parisian side that are entering a new era under new manager Luis Enrique. However, he is unlikely to do so alongside Kylian Mbappe as things stand.
The 24-year-old has been sent to a small squad of undesirables at the Parc des Princes after refusing to commit his future to the club. His current deal expires next summer and he is not intending to extend his stay with PSG.
Hence, Mbappe's Instagram story about the adventure beginning leads to more questions concerning his future. He is currently facing a season in the stands due to his refusal of a new contract.
Kylian Mbappe had high praise for new PSG teammate Dembele in 2018
The new PSG teammates have shared much success on the international stage with the duo winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup. However, it was just prior to the tournament in Russia when Kylian Mbappe and Dembele were shining together.
The attacking pair struck up a formidable partnership, with both impressing in a 3-1 win against Italy. Mbappe spoke after that friendly win in which he lauded Dembele as the best young player in the world. He said (via FourFourTwo):
"It's a promising partnership. We get on well, we appreciate each other. I've always wanted to play with great players. I have two top players [next to me]: Antoine, top 10; Ousmane, the best young player in the world, for me."
Mbappe's comments came at a time when he was earning plaudits as the best young player in the world. He lived up to that mantra at the World Cup while Dembele didn't feature in the last three stages of the competition.
However, Dembele has been in fine form on the international stage during his career. He boasts a record of four goals and three assists in 37 caps for France.