Celtic striker Moussa Dembele has been heavily linked with a move to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Brighton & Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton has “categorically” denied contact with Celtic over the transfer of striker Moussa Dembele, according to Sky Sports.
Sky Sports reported in December that the Seagulls had made an £18m bid for the Frenchman, who has scored 40 goals in 70 appearances for the Scottish champions.
However, Celtic’s chances of keeping Dembele appear to have been boosted with Hughton insisting that talk of Brighton signing the 21-year-old is “pure speculation”.
Hughton told Sky Sports: “There has been huge speculation, certainly on this particular one. There were some quotes, going back a little while ago, concerning figures and communication between the two clubs. Categorically, there has not been any communication between the two clubs. He is just a name along with lots of other names
“Pure speculation is probably the only way [to describe it]. If I talk about players the club might have an interest in, there would be numerous names. This is one name that has been consistently linked, there could be numerous others. We will continue to work as hard as we can on anyone we might want to bring in.”
Although his 2017-18 campaign has been disrputed by injuries, Dembele retains all of the tools to be a top-class striker and there is an inevitability that he will leave Celtic in the near future.
The Bhoys will want to ensure that they get the best possible price for the former Fulham striker, who The Guardian understands cost them only £500,000 in 2016, and they are unlikely to get that from Brighton.
If Celtic could hang on to Dembele until the summer, the market for him may be more competitive should one-time suitors Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, according to The Guardian, reignite their interest.
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