In today’s edition of Birthday Boys we explore two new stories. We will have a greater insight into Ousmane Dembele’s amazing story so far, and the smaller story of Gian Marco Ferrari.

Ousmane Dembele

Credit: Daily Mail

The Frenchman turns 23 today and has had a rapid rise to the top. Going from strength to strength currently sees him contracted to FC Barcelona. A few injuries have plagued him in his short career so far, but Dembele has rapidly reached the top.

Dembele made the switch from Evreux FC to Rennes in 2010, joining the club on a free transfer and slotting into the U19 straight away with the winger just 13 at the time.

After making his way through the youth ranks, Dembele would get his chance and signed for the senior team in October 2015.  He played 29 times for Rennes that season scoring 12 goals and assisted five times.

Borussia Dortmund came after the winger and signed him for £13.5 million in July 2016. Dembele played one season at Dortmund appearing 50 times, scoring ten goals and assisting 22 times.

FC Barcelona were on the lookout for a winger and came after Dembele who was a top prospect and signed him in the summer of 2017 for over £100 million.

His first season in Catalonia saw him accumulate 23 appearances scoring four goals and getting eight assists. The 18/19 season saw the winger play 40+ games for the first time in his career grabbing 14 goals and nine assists in the process.

Injuries have plagued the young and talanted winger and he has only played nine times this campaign scoring one goal.

Internationally the winger has appeared 21 times for the French national team scoring two goals and if he remains fit then he will play more in the national team in my opinion.

He’s a German Cup winner with Borussia Dortmund, a Spanish Cup, Spanish Supercup and 2x Spanish champion with FC Barcelona and he’s won the World Cup with France. Dembele has plenty of time ahead of him to blossom into a top player.

Gian Marco Ferrari

Credit: TalkSport

The Italian centre-back turns 28 today and has climbed to the top of Italian football. Let’s see what his career has been like so far.

The Italian defender started his career in the lower leagues coming through at Crociati Noceto and signing for Fiorenzuola in 2010. From the fourth tier of Italian football, he went to the third for Renate in 2011.

In 2013, he transferred to a different club in the third tier which was AS Gubbio and would see him go to Parma the next summer for an undisclosed fee.

He would play no football for Parma and would be shipped out to Crotone for a season before he made the move the permanent in July 2015. In the three-season that the defender was in Crotone he played over 100 appearances for the club even performing in the Serie A for the club.

In between that, he would go to Sassuolo for £3.6 million, but was shipped out on loan back to Crotone for the 16/17 season and therefore he was able to make over 100 appearances for the club.

For the 17/18 season, the defender was shipped to Sampdoria on loan. He made 31 appearances for the club and solidifying his name in the future of Sassuolo.

He returned to the club for the 18/19 season and has been a solid player for the club making nearly 50 appearances for the club and looks like a solid defender.