By Jonathan Johnson ( @Jon_LeGossip

On Sunday evening, two clubs famed for their ability to nurture young talent will meet in Ligue 1 at Roazhon Park. Stade Rennais will welcome seven-time French champions Olympique Lyonnais to Brittany as fifth place hosts fourth in a heated battle for European qualification.

Les Gones’ current side boasts the likes of Alexandre Lacazette, Corentin Tolisso, Clement Grenier, Maxime Gonalons, Samuel Umtiti and Anthony Lopes. However, on Sunday in Rennes, all eyes will be on a young prospect playing for the home side and not the visitors.

Le Championnat’s latest sensation, Ousmane Dembele, and (to a lesser extent) Les Rouges et Noirs’ former Lyon man Yoann Gourcuff will be the focus of attention when Rolland Courbis’s side clashes with Bruno Genesio’s and sparks are expected to fly.

Just last weekend, Dembele became the first Rennes player to score a hat-trick in a Breton derby against fierce rivals FC Nantes when he hit three first-half goals in a ruthless first 45 minutes that had the hosts 4-0 up at the break.

The prolific 18-year-old needed less than a minute to open the scoring, prodding the ball delicately into the top corner from the edge of the box. Rennes’ No. 23 added his second from a free-kick that Cheikh M’Bengue failed to connect with and he grabbed his third in emphatic style, applying the finishing touches to a lethal counter-attack, all inside of 45 minutes. Dembele’s virtuoso performance earned him a standing ovation when he exited the pitch with 10 minutes to go and he also claimed the match ball after the final whistle had blown on the 4-1 victory for the men from the Breton capital.

A whole host of top European sides, notably Spanish giants Barcelona, were present at Roazhon Park to witness the Vernon-born teenager single-handedly dismantling Nantes last weekend and more will no doubt be flocking to see him in action against Lyon this Sunday in the hope of a repeat display.

Rennes presidential advisor Mikael Silvestre had already suggested in an interview with France Football that Dembele will blaze a similar trail to Cristiano Ronaldo before the thrashing of Les Canaris. The former Manchester United and Arsenal man spoke highly of the youngster once again on RMC radio after his superb showing though.

“When I was comparing him to Cristiano it was, for me, a way of putting pressure on him in terms of demand,” said Silvestre. “To reach that level, you have to be hard working. He is already - he can still develop.”

“Has he the ability to become a really great player?” The 38-year-old continued. “I say yes without hesitation. But it's the mindset that will make the difference. You have to put it in context.”

“I compared him to Cristiano Ronaldo at the same age, when he joined Manchester United,”Silvestre added. “I could have taken (Nicolas) Anelka at PSG, Thierry Henry or David Trezeguet. Players who, at 20 years old, played the World Cup in France in 1998. Players who were very mature for their age.... I know the player. He has his head on his shoulders.”

Dembele first came to the attention of Ligue 1 when he scored in his first full start in a 2-2 home draw against Girondins de Bordeaux back in November. Since then, the young Frenchman has added eight goals in Le Championnat and three further assists. With Paul-Georges Ntep out after a long overdue operation to fix a series of niggling leg problems, Dembele has become the star of this Rennes side thanks to his two-footed approach, sublime ball control and mazy dribbling ability.

With the talismanic qualities that the new kid on the block has shown in the France international’s absence, there is a chance that the former AJ Auxerre man will not be considered the main attraction at Roazhon Park once he returns to full fitness. Although expected to stay with Rennes past the summer, particularly if they secure European qualification, Dembele will no doubt be in high demand this summer.

To score a first-half hat-trick in front of a whole host of scouts will no doubt have convinced some clubs that they must move for this talent now, before it is too late. Another Neymar or Lionel Messi-esque performance against Lyon on Sunday will also help his cause.

However, the best thing for Dembele’s development right now is arguably to stay where he is and continue his development for at least one more season. Despite an injury-hit campaign, Ntep will already have done enough to convince most suitors that he is worth moving for and his younger teammate still needs to prove that he can deliver over the course of a full term.

Dembele has made a bright start to his professional career though and judging by his early performances, he could be the greatest talent to have emerged from Le Championnat for quite some time when he finally makes his move.