Dembélé Says 2023 PSG Move Was Best Decision for Ballon D'or

Ousmane Dembélé says his ballon d'or chase in Paris starts with one move: leaving Barcelona for PSG in 2023. The PSG forward called it the “best decision” and said the switch is helping him rebuild his reputation while adding medals in the French capital.

Dembélé and Luis Enrique

Dembélé said Luis Enrique’s vision for his role at PSG helped shape that view. He tied the move to a clearer fit on the field, which has fed into the way he talks about his time in Paris.

That matters because the quote comes from a club roundup packed with PSG storylines, but Dembélé’s comment cuts through the noise. It is a direct verdict on a transfer that changed his career path in 2023 and on the manager he credits for making the role work.

Mbappé’s PSG Reflection

Kylian Mbappé also looked back on his 2017-2024 spell at PSG, saying the club and Nasser Al-Khelaïfi remain central to his life. He acknowledged conflicts but said there was respect, and he credited Paris for his development.

Those remarks place Dembélé’s comments in the middle of a wider PSG picture: former and current players weighing what the club has meant to them, while the roster continues to shift around the edges. PSG admire LOSC’s 18-year-old Ayoub Bouaddi, but do not prioritise him, and the club’s midfield is seen as covered, with focus moving toward defence and attack.

PSG Moves Around the Squad

Elsewhere in the same roundup, PSG youngsters Elijah Ly and Samba Coulibaly are near Club Brugge moves despite pro offers from Paris. Talks for both players are advanced but not final.

Ferran Torres also dismissed PSG links, saying he knows nothing and “doesn’t care,” while RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande will postpone any transfer decision until after the World Cup. For PSG, the clearest statement in the batch came from Dembélé: after leaving Barcelona, he sees Paris as the move that fit best.