North London giants Arsenal have received a big blow in the chase for highly rated Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele following the news that club skipper Lionel Messi wants him to stay at Nou Camp.
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is regarded as one of the most influential figures at Barcelona having played with the distinction for the Spanish champions for the better part of the last 15 years.
Football.london claim that Messi regards the young French international player as a big player for Barcelona in their pursuit of honours in three major competitions namely Champions League, Spanish Copa Del Rey and the Spanish La Liga.
Ousmane Dembele has had to deal with the consequences of his disciplinary issues this season with senior club officials unhappy with his conduct.
The 21-year-old was said to have gotten to Barcelona training two hours late at the weekend to further compound his woes at the club.
His off-field conduct is in stark contrast to his form on the pitch where he has scored eight goals in all competitions for Barcelona this season.
The recent admission from Messi about Ousmane Dembele would have thrown spanner in the works of teams hoping to sign him.
Apart from the Gunners, Chelsea and Liverpool are also interested in the former Borussia Dortmund.
