Celtic face Ibrox club Rangers on Saturday in the second Old Firm derby of the season.
Former Celtic defender Mark Wilson has told Sky Sports that Moussa Dembele will leave the Hoops in the January transfer window if the Scottish champions receive a “big offer.”
Dembele, 21, has been reportedly linked to plenty of clubs since he joined Celtic in the summer of 2016 and scored 32 goals last season. Brighton are said to have made an £18million offer during the Christmas period.
It remains to be seen if the former Fulham forward will remain at Celtic Park into the second half of the 2017-18 campaign, with the Hoops going up against Old Firm rivals Rangers on Saturday in their last game before the winter break.
Wilson claimed that Dembele looked as though he was saying his farewells when withdrawn against Aberdeen during Celtic’s 3-0 win on December 23. He also claimed that Leigh Griffiths could start over the Frenchman.
“I had a feeling at the Aberdeen game when I saw him come off, he came off very slowly and took the applause of the crowd,” Wilson said. “I had a feeling that would have been his last game. It looks liked a man that was saying his farewells.
“If Celtic get a big offer, I think they will take it. It depends whether he will or start or not, Brendan likes playing him in the big games but Leigh Griffiths brings so much to the team. Rodgers has a big decision to make.”
Dembele is a mainstay of Celtic’s side, making 20 appearances in all competitions this season and scoring eight goals including strikes against PSG, Aberdeen and Motherwell.
Celtic currently sit 11 points clear of the Gers in first place in the Scottish Premiership and could extend that to 14, while remaining eight points clear of second-placed Aberdeen who face Hearts.
The Hoops have won six of the seven meetings between the two Glasgow sides, with Graeme Murty securing a draw against Brendan Rodgers side back in March.
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