The Frenchman scored 30 goals for Celtic last season, but should he stay?
Chris Sutton has told BT Sport that Moussa Dembele would “be wise” to stay with Celtic beyond the summer.
The 20-year-old striker is linked with a move away from Parkhead after a hugely successful first season in Glasgow.
The former Fulham hitman, a £500,000 signing by Brendan Rodgers last summer, is now rated at £30 million and is reportedly attracting interest from the likes of Chelsea and AC Milan (The Daily Star).
He netted 30 goals in all competitions last term – including three in the Champions League – and former Celtic striker Sutton believes that the young Frenchman should continue his development under Rodgers rather than leave this summer.
He told BT Sport: “First of all he had to win the battle with Leigh Griffiths who scored 40 goals last season, so Celtic are very strong in that area.
“He has been a real leader of the line, and he will only get better. He would be wise to stay at Celtic and develop under Brendan Rodgers.”
Sutton is probably right. Dembele is a fine goalscorer but he does not want to join a much bigger club before he is ready.
At Chelsea, he would be competing with Diego Costa for a starting spot, in a league with which he has virtually no experience. As good as he is, the youngster is untested at Premier League level and it would be a mistake to move there until he is ready.
He scored twice against Manchester City in the Champions League last season, so perhaps he is ready for England’s elite, but it was also just one match so little credence can be lent to such a feat.
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