Ousmane Dembele has handed Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde a huge fitness boost with the news that he intends to be back involved in the next fortnight.

The Catalan giants have been without their club-record signing since September after he pulled up with a hamstring injury just 30 minutes into his first La Liga start.

Surgeon Sakari Orava revealed earlier this month that Dembele was on course to return ahead of schedule, with a comeback in time for the El Clasico showdown against Real Madrid on December 22 a possibility.

That target appears to still be in sight, as the former Borussia Dortmund forward is quoted by The Sun as saying: "In two weeks I'll be back with the group.

"It'll be very difficult due to the amount of training I'll have to do, but I'll be working extremely hard every single day to get back as soon as possible."

Dembele, brought in to replace Neymar up top, featured three times for Barca in all before damaging his hamstring in the 2-1 win against Getafe on September 16.