Dembele talks contract extension, Xavi, Raphinha, Lewandowski, Mbappe & injuries

Ousmane Dembele's redemption arc this year has been nothing short of a fairytale, with the Barcelona forward winning the hearts of his fans to become one of the most crucial components of the club's attacking setup.

In a recent interview, Dembele has opened up about his redemption, along with his contract renewal and his experience working with the likes of Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski.

The Frenchman heaped praise on Xavi, in particular, revealing his desire to always play for Barcelona. He believed it played a key role in convincing him to sign a contract extension in the summer.

“I always told Xavi that I wanted to continue here. It took a long time because of negotiations, but I always said that I wanted to continue at Barça and in the end, we are all happy.”

Adding further details to his contract situation in the summer, Dembele added: “I never had a pre-agreement with any other club. I told my agent to only listen to Barça. I never feared that I wasn't going to renew. I knew I was, plus I have a good relationship with Xavi and the board.”

“I've had a good feeling with Laporta, Mateu Alemany and Yuste since the beginning,” he added.

Dembele also opened up about his struggles with injuries during the majority of his spell at Barcelona. “My first three years here were very difficult. The injuries, the games. I had a good day and then a bad day. I think that's life.”

“There was a point where I was so afraid of injuries. I would worry about getting injured after doing every turn. Everything changed when Koeman came.

“When I came here I was only 20 years old. I had only played two years of professional football. I was very young. At 25 I feel so much more mature and calm,” Dembele added.

The Frenchman then offered his thought on the addition of two new players in the Barcelona attack, in the form of Robert Lewandowski. He claimed he had followed Raphinha when he used to ply his trade for Stade Rennais while revealing what Lewandowski had told him when the Pole joined the club.

“Since the first time he saw me, Lewandowski told me: 'You're gonna give me lots of assists.',” Dembele said. “Raphinha and Lewandowski are very good and will bring a lot. The competition in the team is very good,” he added.

Finally, the Barcelona attacker offered an interesting take on Kylian Mbappe. It appears the forward was delighted with the Frenchman's decision to remain at PSG amid interest from Real Madrid.

“It's better for Barcelona that Mbappe stayed in Paris. It's his boyhood club, and he likes it there. I don't know if he'd move to La Liga in the future.”

Dembele also hopes to accompany Mbappe in the French team for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, adding: “I want to win the World Cup again. Obviously, I am not the manager and I don't know if I will be there. It will depend on my performances.”