Barcelona will be without Ousmane Dembele, the most expensive signing in the history of the Spanish club, for at least three months after he tore a tendon in his right thigh that will require surgery. Barcelona said on Sunday that Dembele will be sidelined for three to four months after he injured his leg during the first half of Saturday's 2-1 win at Getafe in the Spanish league. The club said that the 20-year-old Dembele will travel to Finland next week to undergo surgery by Dr Sakari Orava. The match in Madrid was the France forward's third appearance for Barcelona. Last month, Barcelona paid Borussia Dortmund 105 million euros (US$124 million) in a deal for Dembele that included possible add-ons that could add an additional 40 percent of the fee, meaning the final cost could reach 147 million euros.
Dembele was brought in to replace Neymar after the Brazil striker bolted for Paris Saint-Germain on a world-record move of 222 million euros. The 20-year-old is now set to miss the rest of Barcelona's UEFA Champions League group campaign and faces a race against time to take part in the first Clasico of the season against Real Madrid on December 23. At international level, Dembele will also be absent for France's final two World Cup qualifiers away to Bulgaria and at home to Belarus next month. After losing the Spanish Super Cup to Real Madrid, Barcelona has made an excellent start to the season under new coach Ernesto Valverde. It has won its first four matches in the Spanish league and beat Juventus in its UCL opener.
Barcelona's Dembele out for up to four months
