The Northern Irishman was unwilling to state that Leigh Griffiths would be certain first choice should Dembele leave, indicating that a new face will be required.
Brendan Rodgers explained last night that, should Moussa Dembele leave in the January transfer window, it is certain that a new striker will be brought in to replace him.
His comments came after his side’s 2-1 victory over Patrick Thistle, which saw the Bhoys come from behind in the second half to clinch the three points, extending their gap at the top to 11 points in the process.
Both Leigh Griffiths and Moussa Dembele were benched, with youngster Odsonne Edouard starting up front for the Celts. However, Griffiths was granted his chance after 45 minutes and duly took it, scoring the crucial goal which put his side into the lead.
When asked in his post-match interview about the Dembele situation, Rodgers simply explained that, should the Frenchman leave this window, a new striker will be brought in to replace his position in the squad.
As reported by the Scotsman, Rodgers said: “I don’t think anyone needs reminding. It is a big issue with you guys. We know what we have and we know what Leigh can do.
“If Moussa [Dembele] comes on we know what he can do. I thought young Odsonne was excellent.
“If Moussa goes we need to bring in another one. Simple. Players need competition and we need to be competitive. I think you have asked about Moussa enough since January.
“If you ask about him you need to ask about Jozo [Simunovic] and the other players. I think I have done OK in picking the best team to win since I came here.
“If Moussa is in our squad then great, if he is not we will see by the end of January. His behaviour is fine, there is no issue and no dramas. We are here to win games and I will pick the team I think is best to do that.”
It remains to be seen whether or not Dembele will be a Celtic player come February. Hhowever, one thing is for sure: that Rodgers will be keen sorting out the situation sooner rather than later, whatever the outcome may be, with the Northern Irishman appearing slightly irked in recent interviews when asked about his player’s future.
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