Just three months after standing on stage at the Théâtre du Châtelet to lift the 2025 Ballon d'Or, Ousmane Dembélé is reportedly facing a crisis of confidence in the French capital. On Wednesday, December 24, 2025, reports from Canal Plus and L'Équipe suggest that tensions are reaching a boiling point between the world’s best player and PSG manager Luis Enrique.
Despite firing PSG to a historic Continental Treble last season, the 28-year-old finds himself sidelined in what should be the peak of his career.
The Root of the Tension: "Prudence vs. Ambition"
The drama stems from a fundamental disagreement over Dembélé’s fitness and match readiness following a string of minor injuries this autumn.
Enrique’s Caution: After Dembélé suffered a thigh strain on international duty in September and a subsequent knock against Bayern Munich in November, Luis Enrique has adopted a "zero-risk" policy. He has opted to "drip-feed" the winger minutes rather than returning him to the starting XI.
Dembélé’s Frustration: The player and his entourage reportedly believe he is fully recovered. Sources close to the player suggest he is "surprised and hurt" by his limited role, believing that he needs consistent starts to rediscover the rhythm that earned him the Ballon d’Or and
The Best FIFA Men’s Player award earlier this month.
The "Flamengo" Breaking Point
The frustration became visible during the recent FIFA Intercontinental Cup in Riyadh.
The Snub: Despite the magnitude of the final against Flamengo, Dembélé was left on the bench, only appearing as a second-half substitute.
The Missed Penalty: In a rare moment of fallibility, the Ballon d'Or winner missed his spot-kick in the shootout. While PSG still secured the trophy, the error has reportedly added to the "unease" surrounding his current status in the squad.
Arsenal and the January "Escape" Rumors
With the January transfer window just days away, the "unsettled" status of the world’s top-ranked player has put Europe’s elite on high alert.
The Arsenal Link: TEAMtalk and Football Transfers have named Arsenal as a "perfect fit" for the Frenchman. Mikel Arteta is known to be seeking a world-class versatile forward to bolster his title charge, and the prospect of bringing a reigning Ballon d'Or winner to North London is a tantalizing one.
The PSG Stance: Despite the friction, PSG remains in a powerful position. Dembélé is under contract until June 2028, and the club views him as the face of their post-Mbappé project. Any potential suitor would likely have to break the British transfer record to even bring Nasser Al-Khelaifi to the table.
The Verdict: While it is unlikely PSG would sell their prized asset mid-season, the "Golden Boy" of Paris is no longer untouchable. If the relationship with Luis Enrique doesn't thaw during the winter break, we could be looking at the most shocking transfer story of 2026.