Mali’s Seydou Dembele earns first Under-23 call-up after choosing Reims over Chelsea and Barcelona

Seydou Dembele has been called up to the Mali Under-23 squad for the first time after opting to join Stade de Reims rather than accept interest from Chelsea and FC Barcelona.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder moved to the Ligue 2 club from Academie JMG Bamako in August, having emerged as one of the most highly rated prospects in African football.

Dembele attracted wider attention with Mali’s Under-17 side at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in November 2025. He scored two goals and provided four assists in five matches during the tournament.

Chelsea reportedly made a €1.6m offer for the player in April, while FC Barcelona also tried to secure his services. However, Dembele chose Reims, where he was given a route towards first-team football rather than an immediate place among the established attacking options at either European club.

His decision has already begun to pay off. Dembele initially joined Reims’ youth team but was quickly promoted to the senior squad. He has since made his first two league appearances and registered one assist.

Those performances have earned him a place in the Mali Under-23 squad named on Wednesday by coach Fousseni Diawara. Mali will face Zimbabwe on 11 and 17 November in a double-header in the qualifying competition for the Africa Cup of Nations Under-23.

Diallo strongly supported Dembele’s decision to turn down approaches from Chelsea and FC Barcelona in favour of the opportunity to play regularly in Ligue 2. The former coach said the absence of a language barrier in a French-speaking country should make the teenager’s transition easier.

He also pointed to the presence of other Malian players who had come through academy systems as another factor that could help Dembele settle at Reims.

The midfielder might have found it difficult to secure immediate playing time under Xabi Alonso or Hansi Flick, given the number of experienced attacking players available at Chelsea and FC Barcelona.

By choosing to continue his development at Reims, Dembele has put himself in a position to gain valuable senior experience during his formative years. His first call-up to Mali’s Under-23 team is the latest indication that the move has accelerated his progress.