Rodgers will let Ntcham leave... but not just now

BRENDAN RODGERS was grateful for the persuasive powers of Moussa Dembele in the summer of 2016 when the striker tempted Olivier Ntcham to swap Manchester City for Celtic. Two years later, the Celtic manager feared that Dembele’s actions would unsettle and sweet talk his fellow countryman to join him on the way out of the club.

Dembele was orchestrating a move from Celtic to Lyon as deadline day approached but the club was intent that only one Frenchman would play them like a fiddle.

So while the 22-year-old attacker had his wish granted to complete a £20million transfer to Ligue 1, Celtic were not doing business with Marseille or Porto over Ntcham.

The midfielder may have hinted at support for Dembele’s negative social media comments on Celtic during the mini-saga. Back in the real world, however, there were no cryptic messages.

Only emphatic statements such as his winner against Rangers in August and, a fortnight ago, the signing of a new and improved four-year contract until 2022.

‘You’re always a wee bit worried that when someone like Dembele leaves, Ntcham — who is close to him — might think about leaving as well,’ admitted Rodgers.

‘Moussa was someone I spoke to during the process of bringing Oli here. Because he was able to sell to him everything at Celtic.

‘So when he lost his mate, there might have been an initial bit of flatness with his pal going, which is natural. But it’s football and we reassured him that it’s his career.

‘We’re here to develop him and improve him. We told him at some point he will probably go as well but it’s important that he becomes the best player he can be.’

To that end, Rodgers felt compelled to highlight Dembele’s bumper transfer rather than pretend it wasn’t happening.

Dembele signed 12 months before Ntcham, from Fulham, with the pledge of improvement alongside an excellent development coach in a high-pressure environment sprinkled with European football.

Give it another year, Oli, was perhaps the message. The promise of further game enhancement, medals and the prospect of a deep Europa League run — then take your pick of the interested parties.

Rodgers said: ‘There was interest in him but it was given short shrift. We had to circle him back in to why he came. To improve, feel pressure at a big club. Win things.

‘They’re still on a development pathway. So when the time does come to leave, they’re ready to fly.

‘That’s the model. Come in at 19, 20, you know there’s value in the player. When I looked at him, you see the physical qualities.

‘And if you can develop those and make him robust as a player mentally then you know, at some stage, he’ll move on. But he’s loved his time here, he’s improved a lot and is getting valuable experiences.’

Ultimately, Ntcham’s head will turn and, like Dembele, not be inclined to be coaxed back by Rodgers. Money will talk, as will the desire to explore an elite league. And Celtic can cash in, too.

‘It’s not so much Celtic, it’s what other leagues and other clubs can offer financially,’ said Rodgers. ‘It’s a really short career.

‘There’s not many who would swap here from a playing perspective. What you get in terms of the crowd, the pressure, the ability to win.

‘But if you’re offered four or five times your salary, it’s hard for a player here to turn that down.

‘A lot of the players in here will be on a path. What is important is creating an environment where they all want to learn and develop.

‘At some point, like Moussa, when they’ve had their development, they can go to the next port of call.

‘They love it here but some are on a journey. Some will want to go abroad — they don’t all want to play in the English Premier League.

‘If you look at Oli’s qualities, in terms of the top level of the game, it’s about speed, power, technique. He’s got all of those.

‘I said to him he needed to add goals and he’s done that. He can still add more and press better. He’s good at using his physicality.

‘If he can do all of those things, he can go as high as he wants in the game.’