FORMER Barcelona star Martin Braithwaite has surprisingly said that Ousmane Dembele shocked him with his ability more than Lionel Messi.
The Danish forward recently left the Nou Camp on a free transfer after his contract was terminated.
And the now-Espanyol player has spoken out about his former Barcxa team-mates.
He said: “Messi is something else but Ousmane has talent that I have never seen.”
Braithwaite spent two seasons at the club, both with Dembele and one with Messi before he departed for Paris-Saint Germain.
The ex-Middlesbrough man played with Dembele 25 times and the duo combined for two goals.
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Messi and Braithwaite were both on the pitch on 44 occasions also combining for two goals.
The 31-year-old Dane really rates Dembele.
Braithwaite recently said that the French winger provides more to the Barcelona team that new signing Robert Lewandowski.
He stated: “He [Dembele] makes the difference more than Lewandowski.
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“Ousmane is a very good kid, I like him a lot. He has an enormous talent.”
Dembele has got off to a fantastic start this season scoring two goals and assisting four in seven games.
His manager Xavi has also praised him but urged the 25-year-old to keep improving, saying: “He makes the difference, assists, scores, and he is in a good moment.
“I don’t want to shower him in praise but the capacity he has in the one-on-one is at the level of the best Neymar.
“He has to be more bold, shoot at goal more and score.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk