If Plymouth Argyle fans were wondering why Tuesday night’s opposition were so determined to keep Siriki Dembele in League One for a few more months, it’s safe to assume that mystery has been solved.
Swaggering around the Home Park turf while barely breaking sweat, Dembele might have been overshadowed by team-mates Jonson Clarke-Harris and Sammie Szmodics during a comfortable 3-0 win but his influence to this impressive Peterborough United side should be underestimated.
In all competitions, Dembele has produced six goals and eight assists this season. Though it’s his style, rather than the statistics, which has scouts from higher up the footballing pyramid drooling at the mouth.
According to TEAMtalk, Crystal Palace, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Derby County have all been watching the former Grimsby Town starlet.
Celtic, meanwhile, are keen to reunite Dembele with younger brother Karamoko north of the border. And the 24-year-old certainly shares his siblings slaloming stride and dizzling skills.
Now, Barry Fry does not need much encouragement to let his feelings known and, when asked about Dembele’s future in January, the straight-talking director left no one in any doubts about Peterborough’s stance.
“There is no money about right now and certainly not enough for us to part with Siriki,” Fry said of the gifted attacking midfielder, who is valued at £15 million by chairman Darragh MacAnthony.
“It’s getting too late in the window now anyway. We wouldn’t have time to get a replacement.”
With Dembele playing a key role as Posh cruise into top spot, forming one third of the division’s most fearsome frontline, Peterborough’s refusal to cash in looks like a potentially title-winning decision.
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