Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has hailed Celtic striker Moussa Dembele.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has told the Daily Record that he thinks Celtic striker Moussa Dembele is an ‘exceptional’ player when asked about interest in the player.
City host Celtic in the Champions League this evening, and the Bhoys will be hoping for another superb performance from their star striker Dembele as they travel to the Etihad Stadium.
Celtic’s Moussa Dembele
Dembele, 20, scored twice when the two sides met at Celtic Park in September, with his goals helping Brendan Rodgers’ side claim a 3-3 draw in a dramatic encounter.
Celtic can’t make it out of the Champions League group stage having claimed only two points in their five group games, but they will be hoping to end their campaign with a rousing performance at the Etihad Stadium.
Celtic’s Moussa Dembele celebrates scoring their third goal against Manchester City
Dembele will be key to that, having smashed 17 goals in 28 games this season, and whilst the Frenchman has scored only once in the last five games, scouts will be flocking to Manchester to watch him in action.
Glasgow Live reported on Monday that scouts from Arsenal, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham will be watching Dembele tonight, as interest builds in his signature ahead of the January transfer window – despite the fact that the striker only joined Celtic in June.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola
City will get another first-hand look at Dembele though, and given that the Daily Express reported in October that Pep Guardiola’s men are interested in the centre forward, Guardiola has been asked about the Celtic star.
Guardiola told the Daily Record that whilst he has been linked with an absurd number of players since becoming Manchester City boss, he thinks that Dembele does have great quality, and hinted at interest in the player by saying that Dembele is an exceptional talent.
“If you read the newspapers in the last six months, since I became a coach at Manchester City, maybe I have had contact with 126 players to buy for Manchester City,” said Guardiola. “Dembele is another one. Every week I have contact for the next season to change players. Alexis (Sanchez) was the last one. But the quality (in Dembele) is there. He is an exceptional player,” he added.
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