Seydou Dembele has received his first call-up to the Mali U23 squad after choosing Stade de Reims over interest from Chelsea and FC Barcelona.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder was named in Fousseni Diawara’s squad on Wednesday for Mali’s two-match tie against Zimbabwe in the CAN U23 qualifiers. The games will be played on 11 and 17 November.

Dembele joined Reims in August from the JMG Bamako Academy, despite reported approaches from two of Europe’s leading clubs. Chelsea are said to have submitted a €1.6m offer in April, while FC Barcelona also attempted to sign the teenager.

Instead, Dembele opted for a move to Reims in Ligue 2, where the club offered him a clearer route into senior football. The decision has already begun to pay off, with the youngster making his first-team debut and providing an assist in his opening two league appearances.

His progress follows an impressive tournament with Mali’s Under-17 side at the Fifa Under-17 World Cup in November 2025. Dembele scored two goals and supplied four assists in five matches, establishing himself as one of the most highly regarded young players in African football.

The midfielder initially joined Reims’ youth set-up after arriving in France, but was soon promoted to the first-team squad. His rapid progress has now led to recognition at U23 level.

Former Mali manager Diallo strongly backed Dembele’s decision to turn down the opportunities at Chelsea and FC Barcelona in favour of regular first-team football in Ligue 2. He said the move would give the teenager valuable experience during an important stage of his development.

Diallo also pointed to the practical advantages of joining a French-speaking country, where Dembele would face no language barrier. The presence of other Malian players who had also come through academies was another factor expected to make his adjustment easier.

Immediate first-team opportunities would have been difficult to secure at Chelsea or FC Barcelona, given the established attacking options available to Xabi Alonso and Hansi Flick respectively, according to the assessment surrounding his choice.

By selecting a development-focused route with Reims, Dembele has moved quickly from academy football into the senior game. His performances for the French club have now earned him the chance to make his first appearance for Mali’s U23 team in the qualifier against Zimbabwe.