Our view: Karamoko Dembele’s England decision is the best thing for him and Celtic

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The young Celtic winger is said to have committed his future to the England national team.

Celtic winger Karamoko Dembele is said to have rejected future participation with the Scotland national team at youth level in favour of England, The Scottish Sun report.

So far in his young career the teenager has chosen to represent both countries, but is now ready to commit to the England set-up.

Given the rivalry between the two nations, it could be seen as a rather controversial move.

However it is one that will surely be to the benefit of his career and in turn Celtic.

Should this be a decision celebrated by Hoops fans, even if they also follow the Scotland national team?

Working with better players should lead to better development

There’s no doubt that in terms of potential stars coming through, England are better served than Scotland. The resources available to English clubs, as well as population, means that will likely be the case for the foreseeable future.

As a result Dembele will have the opportunity to work with players of a higher standard than if he continued within the Scottish FA set-up.

England have shown in recent years they can excel at youth level. They won the U20s World Cup in 2017, for example.

Celtic will know he is continuing to learn and benefit from elite coaches when heading off on international duty, likely in facilities that compare well to Premier League teams and Lennoxtown.

Financial benefits

There’s also little doubt that players emerging through England’s youth teams will build a greater reputation than if playing for Scotland.

We’ve seen multiple examples in recent years that if players are building hype within the English media and English based teams they can add millions onto their potential value, even at a very young age.

As a specific Celtic example, you need only look at players such as Odsonne Edouard. Working within an elite French set-up, he’s increased his reputation massively and is set to one day land Celtic a major windfall, like Moussa Dembele before him.

Dembele is still 16 and has a lot of work to do to earn that kind of hype, but if he can continue to impress and break into the Celtic team, as well as shine for England’s youth teams, he’ll be valued much more than if he stagnated with the Scotland national team.

Ultimately his decision to continue with England is smart and ambitious. It should not only serve the player well, but the Hoops too.