Ousmane Dembele explains why he rejected Manchester United and Arsenal
Borussia Dortmund new signing Ousmane Dembele has revealed that the Bundesliga side were the only club he wanted to join, which was the reason behind his decision to snub advances from Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool.
The 18-year-old made a switch to the Signal Iduna Park from Ligue 1 outfit Rennes last week, signing a five-year deal. He made his first team debut in November 2015 for his former club.
Since then, Dembele scored 12 goals and registered five assists until the end of the 2015/16 season. His form for Rennes has seen him attract interest from top clubs across Europe. According to The Express, Louis van Gaal's side, the north London club, Liverpool and the newly crowned Premier League champions Leicester City, along with Bayern Munich were after his services.
However, the striker snubbed a chance to join any of the English clubs as his heart was set on joining Dortmund. The German club made an approach for his signature in the winter and their coach Thomas Tuchel was in constant communication with the player, which helped him make an easy decision to join Dortmund.
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“I had a lot of offers, but I made it clear right from the start that I was only interested in joining Dortmund,” Dembele said, as reported by The Express.
“I knew right away that I only wanted Dortmund. The way they showed an interest in me and gave me the feeling they really wanted me convinced me to join Dortmund.
"I have had a lot of meetings with head coach Thomas Tuchel since Dortmund first got in touch in the winter. I am convinced he is the right coach to help me develop. Dortmund are the perfect club for young players, the past has shown that.
Despite Dembele's sudden rise, the teenage sensation failed to make it to the Didier Deschamps's France squad for this summer's European championship on his home soil. The player has admitted that he is eagerly waiting to play his first match in front of Dortmund fans.
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"BVB showed a lot of interest in me right from an early stage and they have always kept close contact with me – this really impressed me," he explained.
"I am totally convinced of the Borussia sporting concept. I can hardly wait to play in the Bundesliga in front of more than 80, 000 spectators in the Signal Iduna Park and to walk onto the pitch in the Champions League with my new teammates."