PHOTO: Barca Star Dembele Steps Up Hamstring Recovery Ahead of Possible December Return

Ousmane Dembele has stepped up his recovery from a hamstring tear ahead of a potential December return for Barcelona.

La Blaugrana's Twitter account posted images of the French wonderkid conducting a number of sprints during a drill at the club's training base as he entered the second phase of his rehabilitation programme.

Dembele has been sidelined since September when he suffered the grade three tear in his hamstring during a La Liga clash with Getafe - an injury that rocked his early Barca career.

Dembele was only making his third appearance for the Catalan giants following his £135m switch from Borussia Dortmund in August when he was struck down by the injury blow, and has spent the past two months recuperating from the problem.

Rumours in the press have suggested that the 20-year-old could be in line to return to the first-team fold in time for the first 'El Clasico' in Spain's top flight this season, with Barcelona set to clash with nemesis Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu on 23rd December.

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That would give Dembele another month to fully recover from his injury, gain some minutes on the pitch with a couple of substitute appearances for Ernesto Valverde's men and then truly try and force his way into the starting lineup for the trip to the capital.

Gerard Deulofeu and Paco Alcacer have deputised for Barcelona in Demeble's absence, but the pair will likely see their first-team starts curtailed once the ex-Rennes starlet returns to full fitness.

Dembele had already registered his first assist for Barca in the 5-0 drubbing of Espanyol on 9th September - the winger coming on as a 67th-minute sub - before he started the Getafe contest.

However, he lasted just half an hour before disaster struck and he was forced off the field with his current injury.