Celtic have refuted reports from France that Marseille have already opened talks to sign striker Moussa Dembele before Friday’s transfer deadline, as reported by The Daily Mail.
The paper say that reports in France indicated that the Ligue 1 club had already opened discussions to sign the 22-year-old, but sources at Celtic Park have told The Mail that no contact has yet been received.
However, the report does state that the Hoops expect multiple bids in the region of £15m-£20m for the French U21 star and are ready to do business beyond the upper end of those figures.
Both Marseille and Lyon are said to be battling it out for his signature.
Losing Dembele would obviously be a bitter blow to Celtic’s first-team squad, although many have anticipated the departure of the French striker for a while now, especially after the record breaking move to bring Odsonne Edouard to Glasgow.
Ultimately it may be the departure of striker that facilitates a serious strengthening of other areas in Brendan Rodgers’ squad, with defensive signings a clear priority in the final few days of the window.
Supporters could be set for a tense few days as we find out who is coming and who is going before the end of Friday’s deadline.
Are you worried about losing Moussa Dembele? Share your thoughts in the comments below…