Celtic have resigned themselves to losing their French striker, Moussa Dembélé, who has indicated to them that it is time for him to leave the Scottish champions.
Chris Davies, the club’s assistant manager, says there is no point in trying to keep the player who has been linked with Brighton & Hove Albion, Everton and Crystal Palace since the turn of the year.
Dembélé was excluded from the Celtic squad that beat Brechin City in a William Hill Scottish Cup fourth round tie on Saturday, prompting Brendan Rodgers, the Celtic manager, to admit that speculation had affected the striker’s form.
While Davies insists that Dembélé is not desperate to leave Celtic, he admits that the player has been more affected by transfer talk than he was a year ago, when some of Europe’s biggest clubs were credited with an interest.
“I think time has gone on,” said Davies. “And, obviously, there has been interest in him. It’s a feeling now that, of course he’s our player and we’re happy for him to be here. But there is also an acceptance that maybe Moussa feels it is the right time for him to move on. And when a player feels that way, then there is not an awful lot of point in stopping them — unless you really have to. So that’s kind of how it’s evolved.”
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Dembélé has not played nearly so well this season as he did last season. Celtic have received inquiries this month, but no formal bids for the striker who, according to Davies, has “a chance” of playing in tonight’s Ladbrokes Premiership match against Partick Thistle at Firhill.
If Dembélé is to leave, Celtic would be keen to strike a deal sooner rather than later. The sizeable transfer fee would enable them to respond with a high-quality signing of their own, provided they are given enough time before the closure of the transfer window.
Improving a side that are almost unbeatable in Scotland will not be cheap. But Davies suggests that Celtic’s board could be willing to push the boat out, maybe even with a club-record transfer fee, if the target is one who can make a difference.
“I think the club will support if it is the right player,” he said. “Brendan works closely with Peter [Lawwell, the club’s chief executive] and Dermot [Desmond, their majority shareholder]. If it is the right player that we all feel is worth that money, and can really take us forward, then I’m sure Brendan would be supported in that.”