´This is a catastrophe´ – Sammer blasts Dembele for strike

Ousmane Dembele’s protracted transfer from Borussia Dortmund to Barcelona finally went through on Friday, but former Bayern Munich sporting director Matthias Sammer has branded it “a catastrophe”.

The talented French winger was immediately linked with a move to Camp Nou following Neymar’s world-record move to Paris Saint-Germain went through.

Dembele did everything he could to push the deal through and was subsequently suspended by Dortmund.

He was not the only man linked with Barca, with Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho also said to be wanted by the Catalan giants, but ultimately it was the France international who succeeded in getting his move.

Barca confirmed a deal had been struck with Dortmund that will see the Bundesliga side receive €105million up front, and potentially another €42m in add-ons.

Benvingut @Dembouz!
¡Bienvenido Dembélé!
Welcome Dembélé!
Bienvenue Dembélé!
#BeBarça pic.twitter.com/gTl0YXCEd6

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 25, 2017

Dembele will undergo a medical on Monday before completing his switch, the 20-year-old agreeing a five-year deal.

But while some were celebrating the move, Sammer, who worked as Bayern’s director of sporting operations until 2016, is outraged that Dembele’s behaviour has essentially been rewarded with exactly what he wanted.

“His strike brought him where he wanted,” Sammer told Eurosport. “This is a catastrophe.

“In the interest of the cleanliness of football, such a behaviour should not be rewarded.”