Barca's plan to get the best out of Dembele

Barca's plan, in short, is to work on bulking up the French international. There is no doubt about the player's technical ability but Barca staff believe that a stronger frame will allow for more explosive bursts of speed and an increased ability to withstand challenges.

Increased strength has also been linked to injury prevention. Barca's head of conditioning Antonio Gomez is thought to be already at work putting together a plan for the Nou Camp new boy.

Barca did something similar with Neymar when he joined the club from Santos in 2013, with the Brazilian moving to PSG with a much-improved physique compared to the one he arrived in Spain with.

For now, Erneste Valverde must to everything possible to make sure that Dembele fits seamlessly into the group, adapting to his new surroundings as quickly as possible and getting stuck into the extra work he has been assigned as the Frenchman looks to take La Liga by storm.