Barcelona set to beat Chelsea in race for Malian wonderkid Seydou Dembele

TL;DR

Barcelona is set to sign Malian wonderkid Seydou Dembele, who was initially expected to join Chelsea. Dembele showcased his talent at the Under-17 World Cup, scoring two goals and providing four assists.

Key points

Barcelona is set to sign Seydou Dembele
Dembele was expected to join Chelsea
He scored two goals and four assists at the Under-17 World Cup
Dembele is known for his dribbling and vision
He follows Ibrahim Diarra in joining Barcelona from Mali

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Seydou DembeleFIFA Under-17 World Cup

DOHA, QATAR - NOVEMBER 05: Seydou Dembele of Mali celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA Under-17 World Cup match between Mali and New Zealand at Aspire Academy on November 05, 2025 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Chris Ricco - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) | FIFA via Getty Images Barcelona are being tipped to land another Malian wonderkid and win the race for highly-rated youngster Seydou Dembele. A new ‘exclusive’ from Africa Foot, states that Dembele had been expected to join Chelsea but is now heading to Barcelona instead to sign a contract. Dembele impressed at the Under 17 World Cup in Qatar for Mali, scoring two goals and grabbing four assists for the team at the tournament. The teenager is known for his dribbling ability, vision and eye for goal. If Dembele does head to Camp Nou then he will follow in the footsteps of Ibrahim Diarra. The teenager joined Barca from Academie Africa Foot and went on to win the UEFA Youth League with the Catalans last year. Diarra had then been expected to go on the first-team’s but missed out due to injury. However, Diarra remains highly regarded and it’s hoped that he could make the breakthrough at some point in the future.

Q&A

Why is Seydou Dembele considered a wonderkid?

Seydou Dembele is regarded as a wonderkid due to his impressive performances at the Under-17 World Cup, where he scored two goals and provided four assists.

What clubs were interested in Seydou Dembele?

Chelsea was initially expected to sign Seydou Dembele, but Barcelona is now set to secure his contract.

What are Seydou Dembele's strengths as a player?

Dembele is known for his exceptional dribbling ability, vision, and goal-scoring prowess.