In spite of his potential, Ousmane Dembele has so far done very little to justify the £105million Barcelona paid when he signed from Borussia Dortmund in 2017.

The 21-year-old suffered a thigh muscle rupture soon after his arrival and he has since scored just seven league goals.

Most young players in that position would receive sympathy.

It is not easy to adjust to the scrutiny under which the Blaugrana squad are placed and he had some very big boots to fill following Neymar's move to PSG.

However, compassion has been in short supply because of the French international's off-field misdemeanours.

According to widespread reports, the forward repeatedly turns up late to training and failed to adhere to a strict diet.

On one occasion last week, he failed to turn up to training at all, without informing club staff that he was ill.

Dembele is not going to make many friends in Catalonia that way and he has now been given a reminder of what's expected of him by the legendary Carles Puyol.

Puyol has a message 

The former defender was an exemplary captain and believes Dembele's team-mates must help him turn things around.

"Dembele is young, I'm not in the dressing room and I don't know the day- to-day," Puyol said, via Marca.

"The team have to help him because it's not easy to adapt to the philosophy of Barcelona where everything is very different.

"Here he's arrived late to training and he must learn that isn't good enough.

"He has good teachers who will help him, but it will depend on his attitude. "It's important that he reflects and thinks about things, because when you're young you don't realise what you are letting go."

Speculation is already mounting that Dembele could be sold in the January transfer window, with Liverpool the latest club linked.

Is his time at Barcelona up? 

That could be complicated, however, by the re-circulation of Bild's reports from last year. The German newspaper claimed Jurgen Klopp was left furious after lending Dembele his house and the player leaving it in a mess.

Puyol believes, nonetheless, that he can still carve out a career at the Nou Camp if he changes his attitude.

"In the management of a dressing room there are problems every day because there are many egos in there," he added.

"We all believe that we are the best and we must play, and the job for the coach to choose.

"The important thing then is the attitude of each player, because being ambitious is fine, but respecting the group is always above that.

"I think he's amenable and if he wants to improve and learn, he is in the best place. But it depends on him." 

Do you think Dembele has a future at Barcelona? Have your say in the comments.