DRAWING UP AN EXIT STRATEGY
Davies says Celtic are ready to break transfer record if Dembele bails out
CELTIC coach Chris Davies has given the clearest indication yet that Moussa Dembele wants to leave during the January transfer window.
And he says the board would back Brendan Rodgers to break the club record transfer fee in order to land the ‘quality’ needed to improve the squad.
Rodgers’ right-hand man, asked to explain the difference between last January’s definitive ‘No Sale’ stance on approaches for Dembele and the more nuanced messages emanating from player and club this month, admitted: ‘I think time has gone on. And I think, obviously, there has been interest in him.
‘It’s a feeling now that he’s our player and we’re happy for him to be here. We know what he can do.
‘But there is also an acceptance that maybe Moussa feels it is the right time for him to move on.
‘And when a player feels that way, there is not an awful lot of point in stopping them — unless you really have to. So that’s kind of how it’s evolved.
‘I don’t think Moussa is desperate to leave. The situation is where it is.
‘But nothing has actually happened yet. It’s just been speculation.
‘Here we are with nine or ten days to go and there’s been no formal bid. So we can only take it like that — and stop focusing on it so much.’
Dembele’s future will be the focus of attention until either he moves on for many millions of pounds — or the transfer window closes with him still a Celtic player.
Davies is keen to emphasise that, however the situation plays out, there will be no ill will on either side.
‘It’s in a good place,’ he said of the relationship between Rodgers and his erstwhile unstoppable striker.
‘We’re calm, either way. And we’re really just focusing on the players that are available — and the guys that are playing for us and scoring goals.
‘There is no problem. The nature of the transfer window is that, in my experience, even with established players, the uncertainty and instability of the window can affect them — let alone guys who have speculation around them to stay or go.
‘So Moussa has not been unprofessional in his behaviour.
‘As the manager alluded to, he’s been slightly affected by what is going on around him and the speculation.
‘But there’s no problem. He’s here, he’s available, he’s working hard. The manager has an open line of communication with him, they talk quite regularly.
‘Moussa talks to Brendan regularly. It’s not one of those situations where there’s a breakdown and unprofessional behaviour — it’s nothing like that at all. ‘It’s just that he’s been slightly affected by it, as the manager alluded to. ‘The best thing in these moments is to take a step back and see how it all unfolds in the next nine or ten days. ‘But, like I say, it’s a period of instability for managers and teams, players as well, so you have to expect that.’ As Celtic brace themselves for the possibility of a Dembele bid that suits all parties, they are planning their own recruitment. And Davies believes that even smashing the £6million record fee paid for Chris Sutton back in 2000 wouldn’t be a problem for the board — if Rodgers is convinced he has found the right man.
‘I think the club will support it if it is the right player,’ said the Parkhead No 2. ‘Brendan works closely with Peter (Lawwell, chief executive) and Dermot (Desmond, major shareholder).
‘If it is the right player that we all feel is worth that money and can really take us forward, then I’m sure Brendan would be supported in that. We could just bring players in almost for the sake of it.
‘You pay fees, they are not quite right but you are getting your numbers in.
‘But to protect the club and make sure we are doing the right thing for them and the team, we want to make sure it is the right player.
‘It has to be quality, but it has to be the right player. That’s what Brendan is focusing on, working with the club.
‘I understand that the fans are eager to hear some transfer news because, ultimately, they want the best for the club.
‘They want to be as successful as they can. And we want to exactly the same.
‘We’ve made it clear that it’s quality — not quantity — that we want.
‘As demonstrated in the last 18 months, it’s been a very successful period for us in terms of results, the players and the development of the players. We have a strong squad.
‘I would say we had a stronger squad in the summer of 2017 than we had in the summer of 2016. We have become stronger.
‘We have had a very strong year again and reached all our objectives.
‘So to add quality on to that takes a certain level of player. With these types of players, other things can come into it. Obviously, you’re looking at things like availability and affordability. Do they want to come? Then you have a competitive market that takes twists and turns.
‘It’s still our objective to add to the squad. It is important to inject quality for your play, but also for what it can give to the squad psychologically. That’s really what we’re aiming to do. That’s been the idea.’
Davies agreed that Celtic might have to be ready to move quickly in the event of a successful bid for Dembele late in the window, saying: ‘Yeah, we’re aware of that.
‘And, obviously, we’re planning because we are aware of that situation. We’ve got to be ready for that, if that were the case. But we’ll see what happens.
‘We’re hoping to add to the squad in the next nine or ten days.’