Moussa Dembele, Celtic

If you're judging him by his goals alone then yeah, you have a point about the SPL.

However, his all-round game is pretty brilliant for a 20 year old and he also managed 3 goals in the CL. This kid apparently turned down Arsenal to move to Celtic for first team football and Rodgers got Suarez to phone Dembele to personally speak to him about working under Rodgers etc. That's great lengths to go to, to sign a just turned 20 year old kid. It's also worth noting that he made his debut with Fulham at 16 and already back then, he was being linked with big clubs.

Nearly all of the major clubs around Europe are monitoring and scouting this kid and as I have previously said, Zidane has taken time out to personally praise him and say that he thinks he will be a fantastic player. It's also worth repeating that he has also managed to break into a talented France U21 side and has scored 4 in 4.

If you take his SPL goals in isolation, then you are clearly missing the whole picture and haven't really followed his career to-date. If you watch this guy play - it's clear as day, like it was with players like Larsson and Van Dijk in the past - that he's a brilliant talent that will no doubt excel at a bigger club and have a very fine career. The hype is completely warranted imo, and any comparisons between the likes of Boyd and Griffiths are both lazy and non-relevant. I mean, Dembele done better than Griffiths managed to do in the Championship despite being 18-19 at the time.

Decent analysis, but I think it's clear that you're not allowed to rate a Celtic player until after Southampton have bought them.

Forster, Wanyama and Van Dijk were all 'at their level' in the SPL, according to many. LvG didn't pick Van Dijk for the NT so he must be shite. Wanyama is a clogger. Forster failed at Newcastle etc. Then they come to the Premier League and continue on an upward trajectory and their critics will pretend that he never played for Celtic, or that they rated him all along.

Stick to the script.
 
Hard to compare Griffiths and Dembele. Despite scoring a lot, Griffiths was regularly criticised for his general play. He also looked out of place in Europe unlike Dembele.
 
@Robbie Boy you make a lot of valid points, I probably shouldn't pass judgement on his ability when I haven't seen anything of Celtic! That video just showed me that a good player can score against defences that give him acres of space.
 
@Robbie Boy is largely correct. While his goals in isolation may just make him look quite good on the level of Boyd or Griffiths, there's clearly a lot more to his game for someone who is still so young. Whether he'll become one of the best around is another matter but right now he looks like someone who - if he continues on his current path - will be a very good top level striker.
 
he moved on a free to Celtic, although they had to pay around half a million in compensation. The prices being thrown around now for him are anywhere from 25 to 40 million. What a great piece of business. Celtic have done some excellent recruiting in recent seasons, that's Wanyama, Van Dijk and now possibly Dembele who they have recruited for peanuts and sold for big profit. The SPL itself is poor, but it gives players access to Europe to showcase themselves.
 
Head scout Marcel Bout watched him today apparently. Seems we might be serious about him. How did he play?

 
Having watched both the old firm and Ajax play today, I can safely say i was much more impressed with Kasper Dolberg who got another 2 well taken goals. Kid looks much more of an all rounded striker than Moussa Dembele.
 
I hope we were watching Tierney. It's not often you see a great Scottish prospect coming through. He's an excellent full back already. I'd be happy to sign him.
 
Considering all the scouts watching him yesterday - reportedly anyway - maybe he does play in a poor League standard-wise apart from his team, but he has done it at CL level, and remember he is only 20. Can do a bit of everything, seems to be a level-headed guy - not one story about him off the field since he signed, according to all the Celtic coaching staff, works hard and eager to learn. There is talk of him being in the next full French squad.
He has enormous potential, it is still early days, I hope he fulfills it, but I'd like to see him stay at Celtic for a couple of years. He had an off-day against "Rangers" yesterday, but so did most of the Celtic team, and there hasn't been too many of them so far this season. He has a long way to go, yes, but he might well make it.
 
I hope we were watching Tierney. It's not often you see a great Scottish prospect coming through. He's an excellent full back already. I'd be happy to sign him.

Terrific player. That nutmeg he did in 2nd half was class.A lot of clubs have been watching this lad. He's actually a Manxman although moved to Scotland as a kid. One thing I like about him, probably didn't see it too much in this game, is he has a bit of nastiness about him. He's definetley one to keep an eye on.
 
Terrific player. That nutmeg he did in 2nd half was class.A lot of clubs have been watching this lad. He's actually a Manxman although moved to Scotland as a kid. One thing I like about him, probably didn't see it too much in this game, is he has a bit of nastiness about him. He's definetley one to keep an eye on.
He is a real top prospect, gives 110% every game, good defensively and going forward, feet firmly on the ground, kind of player who will be 7 or 8/10 every game.
 
Terrific player. That nutmeg he did in 2nd half was class.A lot of clubs have been watching this lad. He's actually a Manxman although moved to Scotland as a kid. One thing I like about him, probably didn't see it too much in this game, is he has a bit of nastiness about him. He's definetley one to keep an eye on.
You're right, he's a tough defender. He protects the ball really well under pressure and makes excellent passes. I think every professional player should pass the ball well, but his target selection is always spot on. His balance and vision are top notch.
 
Has anyone been watching this guy this season? @MemphisDepay

Apparently Villareal are sniffing around. Can't help think he'd make a good backup striker for us.
 
Every single game, underwhelming season but Injured/unfit for a fair amount of it.

Not worth more than 20million current market
 
Should have cashed in for £40m last summer when they had the chance and re-invested the money. Saying that, he's still young and his value could easily exceed £40m if he finds form again, scores in the CL, gets a call up to the France NT, and is top goalscorer in the SPL. Easily do-able.
 
The £40m offer was never even close to being on the table by anyone. It’s a ridiculous over valuation
 
The £40m figure was plucked out of thin air by a Daily Record journalist. There was no basis to it anywhere and, if Celtic had received an offer for anywhere near that, they would have bit the hand off.
 
I really want this player at Utd. Love watching him every time he gets the ball, it's like when Ronnie did. Everyone gets off their seat just waiting to see what he does. He's fast and not afraid to take on defenders.
 
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I really want this player at Utd. Love watching him every time he gets the ball, it's like when Ronnie did. Everyone gets off their seat just waiting to see what he does. He's fast and not afraid to take on defenders.

I think there's some poor memories on caf about just how good a young Ronaldo was.
 
I really want this player at Utd. Love watching him every time he gets the ball, it's like when Ronnie did. Everyone gets off their seat just waiting to see what he does. He's fast and not afraid to take on defenders.

He genuinely doesn’t get everyone up off their seats.
 
I really want this player at Utd. Love watching him every time he gets the ball, it's like when Ronnie did. Everyone gets off their seat just waiting to see what he does. He's fast and not afraid to take on defenders.
Are you sure you’re not thinking of Ousmane Dembele now playing at Barca? Because I’ve never watched Moussa and felt the need to get off my seat, he’s decent but nothing shifting in your seat worthy.