- Sven Mislinat says he is a big fan of Ousmane Dembele from his academy days
- The German scout revealed he signed the Frenchman from Rennes to Dortmund
- The 21-year-old made a record move to Barcelona just after a season in the Bundesliga
Arsenal head of recruitment Sven Mislintat has revealed he knew the qualities Ousmane Dembele right from his academy days.
The former Borussia Dortmund chief scout signed him from Ligue 1 outfit Rennes in 2016 and the Frenchman broke into the first team of the German club.
Dembele's mesmerizing skills in the Bundesliga caught the eye of Barcelona and he agreed to join the club for a blockbuster £93million fee.
READ ALSO: Jorge Mendes aims dig at Messi after missing out on Ballon d'Or
The 21-year-old is currently in his second season at the Camp Nou and rumours have it that he could be on his way again.
The Barca winger has been questioned by Ernesto Valverde for his unruly behaviour which Arsenal are understood to be monitoring the situation.
And Mislintat has now spoken out about the gifted Frenchman, and compared him to Shinji Kagawa.
READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda
"I saw him, he had not even played for Rennes in the first team," he told Zeit . "I bet he did not know which foot he used in certain situations because he just did not think about it.
"I felt this is a really special player. Shinji Kagawa was one of those. We were in Japan ten times, but actually I was safe after the first 30 minutes of play. Nobody could grab it. With one move, he changed the entire direction of the game."
On Dembele leaving Dortmund for Barcelona, he explained: "The change was made by the signatures of the club officials, not by a strike. As a club, we must channel the strengths and weaknesses of our players and stop complaining.
"Ousmane did not come to training – right. But this ability to develop strategies to exploit every gap was worth gold on the field.
"Ousmane decided to play games for us and was significantly responsible for the 2017 cup victory. Many of these top players who make the difference come from different environments, where they became hungry for promotion and success. They have a special intrinsic motivation."
PAY ATTENTION: Become a member of the leading sports Facebook group 'Naija Football Fan Zone'
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that Barcelona forced Atletico Madrid to a 1-1 draw in a La Liga match played at Wanda Metropolitano.
Diego Costa put the Rojiblancos ahead in the 79th minute before Ousmane Dembele equalized in the 90th to salvage a draw for Barca.
NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better
Man United legend Rio Ferdinand reveals his love for Nigerian Jollof rice | Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng