Dembele ready to return for Barcelona

03 January 2018 - 10:12
By REUTERS
Medhi Benatia of Juventus FC, Ousmane Dembele of FC Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League group D match between FC Barcelona and Juventus FC on September 12, 2017 at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain.
Image: Getty Images Medhi Benatia of Juventus FC, Ousmane Dembele of FC Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League group D match between FC Barcelona and Juventus FC on September 12, 2017 at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain.

Barcelona’s record signing Ousmane Dembele is set to return from a long injury layoff in Thursday’s Copa del Rey match against Celta Vigo, the club has said.

Dembele, who joined Barcelona for a 105 million euro ($126.60 million) fee that could rise to 147 million, from Borussia Dortmund in August, made only three appearances for the La Liga side before rupturing his hamstring against Getafe on Sept. 16.

The 20-year-old French forward, who had a surgery in Finland, returned to training in December and received his medical discharge on Tuesday.

Ernesto Valverde’s Barcelona travel to Vigo for the first leg of their round of 16 Copa del Rey tie before hosting the reverse fixture at Camp Nou next week.

They will also return to league action with a home game against Levante on Sunday.