Celtic could miss out on a sell-on windfall for Moussa Dembele, according to a report. The 26-year-old has been told that he can leave Lyon after he refused fresh terms with the French side.
According to a report by RMC Sport, via Record Sport, Juve are considering a move for Dembele but are content to wait and seal the deal on a pre-contract in the January window. Manchester United are keen on the player as a potential alternative to Cristiano Ronaldo. Other teams such as Fulham and Southampton are keen on bringing Moussa to the English Premier League.
Juve are an interesting option as they offer Champions League football. Also the lure of a big sign-on will tempt the Frenchman. This is an operating model that the Italian giants have utilised to great success in the past, bringing players to Serie A on big wages and avoiding paying fees for the players.
With 67 goals since arriving in France, Dembele has been linked with a variety of moves but the clinical striker appears to be looking at his future following OL’s decision to re-sign Lacazette from Arsenal on a free transfer.
Celtic are believed to be due a cut of any deal that Lyon make, which could result in a small amount of cash returning to Paradise for the powerful striker. The 26-year-old was excellent for the club before leaving in a £20m deal for Lyon after falling out with Brendan Rodgers. It would have been expected for Dembele to really kick on and go to the top level instead of remaining in France but the deal to take him to Atletico Madrid on a permanent basis appeared to fall through, leaving him to spearhead the Peter Bosz attack.
Dembele called Celtic ‘the greatest club in the world’ previously. Dembele was a fan favourite instantly with a hat-trick against Rangers at Celtic Park. He actually managed seven goals and four assists in eight appearances against the Ibrox side. He scored 51 goals in 94 appearances across the two seasons, winning six trophies during his trophy-laden spell in Glasgow.
You do have to think that Dembele could have gone on to achieve much more at Celtic which would have likely taken him beyond Lyon. Whilst he is doing well there, you have to think that from the qualities that the centre forward produced in attack for Celtic would see him move to a top team instead of a lateral move to Lyon.
