Whilst the exact numbers behind the deal to bring Dembele to the Camp Nou were never revealed, the move was certainly not a cheap one. Most sources in the media reported it as being worth in excess of €100m, with 'Bild' claiming the final figure was €105m up front with a further €40m in add-ons.
A promising season with Borussia Dortmund had catapulted the classy forward in the wider consciousness and convinced Barcelona that with Neymar leaving, it was Dembele who they had to have to plug the gap in their squad.
Whilst he was signed with one eye on the future, there was a hope that Dembele would explode onto the scene and make Barca's fans forget about their Brazilian turncoat.
However, under more pressure than at any previous point in his career, Dembele struggled to live up to his price tag during his maiden campaign with the Catalan side, with injuries disrupting any attempt at producing anything like his best form.
Now, with Barcelona having been linked with a move for seemingly wantaway Chelsea star Eden Hazard, there are question marks about Dembele's future.
The pair both play in exactly the same position, leading to suggestions in the press that the Freance international could be used as a makeweight in a deal to bring Hazard to Catalonia.
Despite having been part of France's World Cup-winning squad, the tournament didn't go particularly well for Dembele on a personal level as he lost his place in the starting lineup as the tournament went on to Olivier Giroud, who failed to register a shot on target in Russia.
Thus, Dembele's future remains unknown. The player, for his part, is keen to stay and fight for his place at Barcelona, but the club will decide in the coming weeks whether a more tired and tested option would be preferable for the upcoming campaign.