MOUSSA WINDFALL
FROM BACK PAGE the 21-year-old for the rest of the Euro campaign can help secure a group-stage place and the £40m bounty for participants.
Dembele is also ready to break into the France squad and, should be capped by the World Cup finalists in the autumn, the ex-Hoops hero reckons that’ll elevate his value and keep it towards the £20m mark even if he leaves in January.
That offers a combined £60m jackpot as Sutton explained: “Dembele is an outstanding player.
“I expected his next step to come this summer. With two years served and two remaining, it looked like the optimum time to sell him.
“But I feel things have changed and Celtic could hit the jackpot by NOT selling right now.
“The Premiership isn’t what dictates Dembele’s value. It’s the group stages of the Champions League.
“Last term, he missed a chunk of the Euro ties and it dropped his price. Now it’s down to £15m or so.
“Yet Celtic could still end up with a major windfall. Dembele is on the verge of the senior France side. One senior cap and £20m is the LEAST Celtic can expect.
“This term’s Champions League could see Celtic make £40m. They could keep him to get through to the group stages and land the double jackpot.”
Meanwhile, Celtic have snapped up Arsenal kid Armstrong Okoflex.
The 16-year-old, who has represented both England and the Republic of Ireland at youth level, has been signed after rejecting a new deal with the Londoners. MOUSSA DEMBELE could make Celtic a whopping £60million this season.
There was a lingering feeling that the Parkhead club may have missed the boat in terms of getting the proper value for their French striker but the situation has taken a fresh twist which could yield an even more staggering dividend.
Dembele is an outstanding player. He has all the attributes required to go to the top and I’m convinced he will get there in time.
Like many, I expected his next career step to come this summer. With two years served on his contract and two remaining, it looked like the optimum time to be selling him for the full amount.
It’s still a reasonable assumption. The World Cup hasn’t finished yet and the transfer merry-go-round is set to start whirling properly.
But looking at Dembele I feel things have changed and Celtic could be in position to hit the jackpot by NOT selling right now.
I’ve made my feelings clear on what happened to the kid last season. I don’t think it was well handled.
It puzzled me why he was kept on the bench at times. How can you tell buying clubs you have a major talent worth millions when he’s being left out of the side?
The reasoning seemed to be his head was turned. Now I’m not going to argue with what Brendan Rodgers said but it does go against everything I’ve heard about the lad’s attitude and approach.
Rodgers now says Dembele has returned more focused and fitter than ever. He has started the new campaign looking scintillating.
I don’t know about you but that doesn’t seem like the preparations of a boy with his mind elsewhere.
If he fires he could land Celtic an incredible windfall. Playing in the SPFL Premiership isn’t what dictates Dembele’s value – it’s playing in the group stage of the Champions League.
Figures of £30m were being quoted because he bagged goals against Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach at the top level in Europe, not because he nailed a Scottish Cup hat-trick against Inverness.
Last term, he missed a chunk of the Euros ties and it dropped him slightly off the radar and lowered his price.
If Celtic considered selling him to Brighton for under £20m last term, they have basically told the rest of the English market what they are willing to accept.
Dembele was never going there. He’s too good for that.
Technically, his value should have decreased again. Now it’s down to £15m or so. Yet the way things have