‘Brilliant’ player who left Celtic for free is dazzling at his new club

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One-time Celtic wonderkid Karamoko Dembele is finally getting his career on the right track with a string of ‘brilliant’ performances since moving to England with League One Blackpool. 

Ok, Bloomfield Road might not have been the stage many Celtic supporters envisaged Karamoko Dembele strutting his stuff as he exploded onto the internet at the age of just 13. 

But, nearly a decade on, Dembele is belatedly proving that he is more than just a social media sensation. For the first time, the former England U18 international is impacting games week-in, week-out. The silky footwork and breezy swagger which caught the eye when he was rising through the ranks in Glasgow making him an immediate favourite in the Blackpool dressing room, as well as on the terraces. 

Former Celtic wonderkid shining at last

“He’s a lovely player to watch,” Tangerines team-mate Owen Dale tells the Blackpool Gazette. “He’s a great asset for us to have in the team. He gives us a different dimension and likes to pop up in those pockets. He draws one or two defenders over to him which leaves someone else free.” 

“He’s a great asset for us. He’s been brilliant since he’s come in.”

Dembele made only 10 first-team appearances at Celtic before moving to France in 2022. He is now on loan at Blackpool from Stade Brest. And even the most optimistic Tangerine supporter would have to admit that retaining the 20-year-old’s services beyond this season may be a rather far-fetched ambition. 

Dembele already has three goals and four assists for Neil Critchley’s side. 

‘Brilliant’ at Blackpool

“You can see that he’s played at a high level,” former Manchester United and Aston Villa striker Dion Dublin told the BBC after Dembele scored in Blackpool’s televised FA Cup victory over Bromley earlier in November. 

“He’s a player, you can see the quality that he’s got. He’s comfortable on the ball. Comfortable when he’s under pressure as well.

“He takes the ball in great positions, and really uses his power.”