Koeman was impressed by Osman Dembele training in Barcelona

Barcelona president Ronald Koeman explained why Ousmane Dembele had additional training sessions with the club during the international break.

The Dutchman explained that Dembele was in need of extra fitness after a year of suffering from injury and indicated how impressed the striker was during the sessions.

Earlier this week, a report came out from Esport 3 as cited by Diario Sport, which alleges that the French coaching sessions were not voluntary, as was originally reported by Sport, and that he was in fact not given any clearance by his boss, Ronald Koeman.

Dembele’s teammates were granted four days off by the club during the international break in order to recover and rest after the season’s opening.

However, Dembele was said to have been instructed to come to the club’s facilities to boost his fitness which was lacking due to his previous long-term injury.

“Dembele has a lot of quality, and little by little he will be physically healthy,” Coman told reporters on Friday, according to Marca.

“Those who haven’t played many games trained. He was one of them. I’m very happy to coach him.”

Dembele returned to training on Tuesday last week after missing Monday’s session during the transfer deadline day.

Now the Frenchman is staying at Camp Nou and is determined to change the hearts and minds of those in the clubs.

Dembele has not played in Barcelona’s first team since November – and has never played under former coach Koike Setien – due to long-term injuries while his fitness spoiled his time at Camp Nou since his move from Dortmund in 2017.

The French international – who has suffered injuries since moving to Camp Nou in the summer of 2017 – withdrew on 25^{The tenth} Minute of the game against his former club Dortmund in late November and he has not appeared since.

In three years he suffered seven muscle injuries at Camp Nou.

Dembele played 74 games for Barcelona with the first team, scoring 19 goals and making 17 assists, and was decided by United as a substitute for Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund.

Photo via Sports Diary