A recent report has suggested that Celtic striker Moussa Dembele is being pursued by Ligue 1 side Marseille.
According to a report from Sky Sports, Celtic could have to fend off interest from Marseille if they hope to keep Moussa Dembele this summer. But while the Ligue 1 giants may have seemingly only just joined the race for the striker, it should come as little surprise that they have actually entered the race.
Firstly, Dembele’s form during his first season in the Scottish Premiership should ensure that most of Europe’s top sides have a look at trying to sign him.
Celtic’s Moussa Dembele
The 20-year-old scored 32 times in 48 games in all competitions for the Hoops, including a handful of goals in the Champions League.
But what should make Marseille’s interest even less of a surprise is the fact that their current boss Rudi Garcia appears to have had Dembele on his radar since before his move to Parkhead.
Back in early 2016, Dembele was beginning to really come onto the radar of Europe’s bigger sides as he broke into the Fulham first-team – finishing that season with 15 Championship goals to his name.
Get French Football News reported in early January of that year that Roma were one of the sides interested in Dembele as the 20-year-old neared the end of his contract at Craven Cottage.
Rudi Garcia
And the man in charge at that stage – though he would be dismissed by the Giallorossi by the end of that month – was Garcia, who was only appointed at Stade Velodrome a few months after Dembele had made the switch to Celtic.
So perhaps it should be little surprise that Dembele finds himself on Garcia’s radar during the first summer window since Roma’s interest was reported back in 2016.
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