French superstar Kylian Mbappe was left out of Paris Saint-Germain’s season opener late last night deepening the stand-off between the France captain and the Ligue 1 champions.As Mbappe’s contract dispute with the Qatari-backed club rumbles on PSG announced a new signing – Ousmane Dembele on a five-year-deal from Barcelona. He is the ninth summer arrival at a side which has lost Lionel Messi to Inter Miami, and may soon be facing up to life without Mbappe.In an affair that has dominated transfer market headlines Mbappe has refused to sign an extension to his PSG deal, meaning he can leave for free next year, with Real Madrid long seen as his preferred destination. PSG want to sell him now and bring in a significant transfer fee for a player who cost 180mn euros ($198mn) from Monaco in 2017.Mbappe has not been allowed train with the first team and played only one of PSG’s five warm-up games and was not invited to the pre-season tour in Japan and South Korea. Despite his sidelining Mbappe was one of the first to welcome Dembele to the Parc des Princes. "Welcome home my brother, so happy to see you here, the adventure begins,” Mbappe posted on social media to greet Dembele with whom he won the World Cup in 2018.The 26-year-old Dembele joined Barcelona in 2017 from Borussia Dortmund and had extended his contract last year until 2024. PSG took advantage of the player’s 50mn euros ($54mn) release clause to sign the former Rennes forward. "I’m very happy to join Paris Saint-Germain and can’t wait to play in my new colours,” Dembele said in a PSG statement. "I hope to continue to grow here and make all who love the club proud.”Dembele, who has 37 caps for France and scored four goals, joins three other World Cup winners at PSG – Mbappe, Presnel Kimpembe and Lucas Hernandez. He is the club’s ninth summer signing after defenders Milan Skriniar and Lucas Hernandez, midfielders Manuel Ugarte and Cher Ndour, forwards Marco Asensio, Lee Kang-in and Goncalo Ramos and goalkeeper Arnau Tenas.At Barcelona, despite early problems adjusting to the Catalan side and injuries, Dembele scored 40 goals in 185 matches, winning three league titles in 2018, 2019 and 2023 and two Spanish Cups 2018 and 2021. PSG are bolstering their attacking options with the futures of Mbappe and also Neymar uncertain."The passion and determination shown by Ousmane when he joined PSG is fantastic and is the attitude required for all our players,” said PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi. "We are proud to have another French World Cup winner in Paris Saint-Germain at the moment to enter a new great era for our club.”New PSG coach Luis Enrique also left out Brazilian Neymar from last night’s game with the forward suffering a "viral syndrome”. The club are reported to be open to selling the former Barcelona star and Italian midfielder Marco Verratti, who has also not been called up against Lorient.Dembele departure a big disappointment: XaviMeanwhile, Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said it was a huge disappointment that winger Ousmane Dembele decided to leave and sign for PSG. Xavi defended Dembele against criticism and frequently hailed the winger, who became a key player in their La Liga triumph last season after years of struggle at the club following his 2017 arrival."For me he was a good kid, a kid who helped us a lot, we made him important, for me he was an important player,” Xavi told a news conference. "In the end it was a big disappointment, a big disappointment that he decided to go when here he had happiness. We bet on him and it’s disappointing for me on a personal level. I think that there was a project here, but he chose to go elsewhere. I wish him luck, but in general, it has been disappointing, I would say.”
August 12, 2023 | 10:59 PM