Celtic’s prolific striker, Moussa Dembele, has been a wanted commodity for a host of Premier League clubs, including Brighton & Hove Albion, in the ongoing January transfer window. The Scottish Sun, in one of the latest reports, has stated that the Seagulls tabled a bid of £12m to prise him out of the Celtic Park, but apparently, the Celts have rejected their proposal.
Under the tutelage of Brendan Rodgers, Celtic engineered a domestic treble last season and they have continued their momentum this season as well. After 24 games in the Scottish Premiership, the Glasgow giants have mustered 57 points. They have been able to keep their territorial supremacy intact and it is quite intriguing to see them ply their trade so brilliantly on domestic soil.
However, given that the second-half of the season might throw up some twists and turns, it is important for Rodgers to retain his main men beyond January. The former Liverpool boss has made his unwillingness to sell Dembele quite clear as he rates him very highly. He considers him to be a useful member of his squad and this is unarguably a massive statement of intent from the Bhoys.
The Frenchman developed through the youth ranks of Paris Saint-Germain and Fulham and was then elevated to the senior side of the Cottagers. After a successful tenure with the London based club, he was lured to the ranks of Celtic in the summer of 2016 and has dazzled in their shirt more often than not. Dembele is definitely one of the hottest properties in the game at this stroke of hour.
The striker is lightning fast and uses this ingredient to good effect in popping up in the right areas to rattle the defence of the opposition. He seems to know exactly where the goal is, which makes him a clinical asset inside the box. He is well-built and beats defenders in the air with his strength and height and his shrewd predatory instincts make him a handy package up front.
Dembele scored 32 goals last season and has smashed 8 goals in 20 games across all competitions this season. The 21-year-old has made the art of scoring goals look easy and the Hoops do need him in their upcoming endeavours to excel even more. He is only likely to better with age and more experience. Thus, it would be justifiable to say that Celtic have probably done themselves a massive favour by resisting the temptation to sell Dembele till this point.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored
