Someone could get themselves quite the bargain this summer. That is, of course, presuming Everton, Nottingham Forest or West Ham United are capable of getting this twinkle-toed youngster’s career on the right track.
When he was a bonafide wonderkid running rings around kids nearly twice his age, lighting up social media and becoming something of a YouTube sensation, he was not supposed to end up in England’s third tier before his 21st birthday.
For whatever reason, however, that is the direction Karamoko Dembele‘s career has moved in.
But there is still time for things to turn around. HITC understands that the aforementioned Premier League trio Everton, Nottingham Forest and West Ham are all weighing up the propsect of giving Dembele the chance to prove he still could have a future at the top-level.
Premier League interest in ex-Celtic wonderkid
There is interest, too, from newly-promoted Leicester City and Southampton. Leeds United, too, play-off heartbreak at Wembley potentially leading to the departures of Crysencio Summerville and Wilfried Gnonto, and therefore opening up the door for another young wideman to take their place.
Karamoko Dembele might not have hit the heights many expected of him when dazzling behind the scenes at Celtic – well, not yet anyway – but a stellar season on loan at Blackpool had him looking like a big fish in a relatively small pond at times.
Dembele scored nine goals and set up 14 for The Tangerines.
“He’s a lovely player to watch,” team-mate Owen Dale told 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 is still a Stade Brestois player, having moved to France from Celtic back in 2022. The Ligue 1 club’s sporting director – Gregory Lorenzi – has now confirmed to L’Equipe that Brest will not stand in the London-born schemer’s way should offers come his way.
Lorenzi adds that Tairyk Arconte, Hianga’a Mbock and Josue Escartin are also free to depart, Brest hoping to raise funds in order to bring in targets such as Martin Satriano. The Inter Milan-owned forward impressed as the division’s surprise packages secured qualification for the first time in their history last term.
West Ham and Everton among those keen
“We will have a little more resources than last season, around eight to 10 million euros, regardless of possible sales,” Lorenzi says, Dembele among those who will be cashed in on.
“If we buy Martin Satriano tomorrow, we will have spent more than two thirds of our budget on recruitment.”
Dembele does not even turn 22 until February 2025. If there is a manager capable of giving him the trust and the freedom he requires, then a man who ranked among the most creative talents in League One next season should be able to comfortably make the step up to the Championship.
From the third-tier to the Premier League in one summer would, of course, be a far larger leap. Nottingham Forest have, however, helped rebuild the reputations of fellow widemen Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga.
Everton’s summer business, meanwhile, is likely to revolve around hungry young talent with considerable re-sale potential. HITC understands The Toffees are close to signing 20-year-old midfielder Tim Iroegbunam in a £10 million deal from Aston Villa.
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