Celtic must only sanction key player exit if replacement has been identified

Mon 26 March 2018 8:09, UK

COMMENT

The future of key Celtic forward Moussa Dembele once more seems to be up in the air.

The Daily Record are reporting that the Hoops are preparing to sell the 21-year-old to the highest bidder in the summer.

Whilst selling a player for a massive profit – as they would with Dembele – makes sense, the Hoops will have to make sure the player’s replacement has been identified before they sanction any deal.

With the Champions League qualifiers beginning in July, the Hoops will need to get their transfer business done early. They don’t want to be caught cold and without a main striker for their most important games of the season.

Some Hoops fans may well be disappointed at the prospect of one of the main players at the club possibly leaving in the summer, but the Hoops have done well to keep Dembele at the club for two years, particularly after his superb first season with the Hoops.

It may well be that the Bhoys see Dembele’s replacement as already being at the club, as the Mail on Sunday recently reported that the Hoops are considering making Odsonne Edouard’s loan deal a permanent one at the end of the season.

Time will tell if that proves to be the case, but it would make sense as he is already at the club and perhaps it slightly cushion the blow of Dembele’s departure.