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Celtic: Moussa Dembele is a player we want to keep - Brendan Rodgers

By Chris McLaughlinBBC Scotland

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments119

Celtic striker Moussa Dembele
Dembele is an injury doubt for Wednesday's Champions League qualifier

Moussa Dembele is happy at Celtic and the club have no plans to sell the striker, says manager Brendan Rodgers.

Asked about reports linking the 21-year-old with Marseille, Rodgers said "100%" no talks had taken place.

"Moussa has been linked with 10 clubs," he said. "There's nothing in it from our perspective.

"There's no rush from Moussa. He loves being here. He knows he is in an incredible environment where he can learn and improve."

Dembele scored 32 goals in 39 games in all competitions for Celtic last season, his first since arriving from Fulham for a compensation fee of £500,000.

Celtic host Rosenborg in a Champions League qualifier at Celtic Park on Wednesday.

Dembele did not train on Tuesday because of injury, according to Rodgers.

The France Under-21 international has three years to run on his contract and Rodgers said he had not spoken to the player about his future this summer.

"Part of the plan for Moussa coming in here was that, if he progressed how I thought he would progress and if he wanted to move at any time, it was going to be after the second year," said Rodgers.

"The projection was that he could come here and improve, develop and win trophies and then look as a young player to go and show that he has the consistency to go again the next season.

"To be a successful player, you have to have the mentality to keep going year in, year out.

"He doesn't change either way. There can be lots of speculation. He gets on with his work.

"There will be a natural solution. There will be something at some point in his career here when there is an offer which is a sensible one for both parties.

"It's certainly nowhere near that at this moment. He's a player we want to keep and, if anything ever did come in, we would assess it.

"I haven't put a price on what that would be. What I know is that he's a 21-year-old who is developing and growing and has all the qualities to play at the very highest level."

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119 comments

  • Comment posted by BBB1888, at 16:06 25 Jul 2017

    All the gloom and doom from non SPFL 'fans'. Dembele score 5 goals in Europe last season, 2 of them against a manufactured club aka Man City with their gazzilions. The lad is a quality player, I just hope he stays for another year at least.

  • Comment posted by thomas5, at 14:10 25 Jul 2017

    Twenty million is nowhere near enough when you consider what's going on down south.

  • Comment posted by Pablo, at 15:54 25 Jul 2017

    Dembele WILL be sold for a huge profit but I would like to see him stay until next summer. Van Dijk is currently being touted for anywhere between 50-60mil, has he become 4 times the player since he left? I'd like to see Celtic hold out for more so teams don't think they can pick up a bargin also having Mussa in the squad vastly improves their chances of CL & picking up the 25mil that goes with it

  • Comment posted by bbbarabus, at 16:26 25 Jul 2017

    11.
    Posted by
    Scaramanga
    on
    1 hour ago
    How on earth is he going to improve playing in Scotland?

    Well it seems like he has done just that over the last year playing in Scotland with his value going up by 40 fold - explain that Scabamanga

  • Comment posted by DarrenB, at 15:59 25 Jul 2017

    Its amazing how there is comments about the crowd/ fans. Its only the small minded that forget its a small number of fans that supported that banner, was the whole stadium closed? no a section of the stadium. Celtic fans have be applauded all over Europe and the world. Dembele is a talent and thats what should be discussed here not trying to tar fans. but thats small minds for you...

  • Comment posted by bbbarabus, at 16:22 25 Jul 2017

    13.
    Posted by
    BigDicRB
    on
    1 hour ago
    Celtic must be the most boring team to support

    No, Man U are!!

  • Comment posted by U16694372, at 15:02 25 Jul 2017

    11. I guess he could improve if the competition was there. All these teams moaning about lack of cash to compete. If fans outwith the old firm could be bothered to fill their own stadiums at home games, then maybe the league would improve. get behind your team, fill your stadiums, create an atmosphere and the money will come. no point moaning if you're not behind your local team.

  • Comment posted by Aphexus, at 14:24 25 Jul 2017

    Boy is a good player, no doubt, however if someone wants to pay silly money for him at this stage we should take it. No-one in the squad can't be replaced.

  • Comment posted by Jaffabhoy , at 15:50 25 Jul 2017

    While I'd love him to stay, I'm realistic. The league as a whole just isn't attractive. If he stayed another season then that would be great. I'm sure we will cash in our chips soon enough, though.

  • Comment posted by tomfer, at 16:26 25 Jul 2017

    @stevemac48 ....... I take it you somehow didn't notice the POSITIVE comments from the manager of France about going to Celtic to improve , that it was a GOOD IDEA ? I would guess that would mean an I PROVED. chance of p,ayi g for their country for both Dembelke and Ntcham

  • Comment posted by AO18, at 21:15 25 Jul 2017

    Will be great if Dembele stays. What an incredible servant and guy Izaguerre is too- best wishes Emilio! Hail hail

  • Comment posted by George1967, at 20:57 25 Jul 2017

    I See the silly season is upon us again some of the comments are just crazy,Hope we can win thro to the Champions League before it becomes a closed shop next season.At least we can always look at our name on the cup.Cant take that away from us.All the best Emilo thanks for being a Glasgow Celtic player.

  • Comment posted by LFC82, at 17:22 25 Jul 2017

    Great young player, at the right club and with the right manager at the right time in his career. Another year or two will do him no harm at all.
    Celtic could do with getting another year or two on his contract.

  • Comment posted by Wobie, at 16:06 25 Jul 2017

    Take the money, get Roberts back and spend the remainder on another young striker

  • Comment posted by xlr, at 14:27 25 Jul 2017

    He'd improve a damn sight more at Marseille than he would at Celtic.

    I'm Scottish, I love Scotland, I love Scottish football, but I'm a pragmatist: and the grade of competition Celtic are up against is poor, whatever Celtic may think of themselves.

  • Comment posted by kebabylon, at 18:54 25 Jul 2017

    42. Posted by BlueIsTheColour - "He is Championship level but the SPL makes him look like a world beater".

    Unlike Hazard last season, Dembele actually played in the Champions League and gave a very good account of himself. He has scored four goals in six games for the French Under 21's, a team with an embarrassment of talent.

    SPFL may be a poor league, doesn't mean he is a poor player.

  • Comment posted by LFC82, at 17:26 25 Jul 2017

    27. Posted by PeterSchMichaelOwenHargreaves on
    3 minutes ago
    He'll be gone by this time next week

    While your comment is ridiculous (IMO), your username is genus!

  • Comment posted by Vogon, at 08:08 26 Jul 2017

    AB Shows how little you know about business . Celtic didn't go bankrupt and end up in the hands of the receiver. Lots of clubs have new owners...Chelsea,MU,Man City , but are still essentially the same club...sour grapes doesn't make things true

  • Comment posted by McGrory, at 20:06 25 Jul 2017

    59 driveldriveldrivel ENGLISH PL. You having a laugh. Absolutely nothing English about it
    Foreign owned
    Foreign players
    Foreign managers
    Foreign fans

  • Comment posted by nuke_em_all, at 18:20 25 Jul 2017

    41. Posted by roberto on
    2 minutes ago
    Nuke em all you appear to be a green brigade banner holder.

    Are u kidding? while every other team had to suffer and play by the rules "barry bankrupt bigot boys" (next months new name) CHEATED the whole of scottish football. Your mob should get back in a corner and remain silent, be fortunate u still have some form of club to support.

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