Rodgers compares Celtic player to Premier League stars Coutinho and Sterling
By Matt Farr
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers believes Moussa Dembele can be as good as Philippe Coutinho.
The 20-year-old forward has been in scintillating form this season, recently netting back-to-back hat-tricks against St. Johnstone and Inverness.
The Celtic sensation’s dazzling displays have drawn the plaudits, and Rodgers is confident that he can go all the way to the top – just like some of his former Liverpool stars.
The former Liverpool boss was responsible for much of the rapid development of Coutinho, Raheem Sterling and Suso, during his three years on Merseyside, and he has similar hopes for Dembele.
Speaking about the French U21 international, he told the Daily Star: “He’s got huge potential. He’s just turned 2o years of age. I’ve worked with some really top young talents.
“I took [Philippe] Coutinho from Inter Milan at 19, [Raheem] Sterling at 17, Suso I put in the [Liverpool] team and he’s at AC Milan now.
“He’s certainly up there with the big talents. He has a fantastic mentality which helps him. He has talent but he’s also very focused on being a footballer.”
Dembele’s six goal haul in the space of just six days took his tally for the season up to 26 goals from 40 appearances in all competitions, making him one of the most prolific goalscorer across Europe.
His performances have already caught the eye of a host of top European clubs, including Chelsea; but Rodgers remains keen to ensure he continues his development at Parkhead.
However, like Coutinho, Sterling and Suso before him, Dembele could well be destined for the bigger stage, and Rodgers may be powerless to stop him.
Coutinho, for example, has contributed 34 goals and 35 assists from 168 appearances since joining Liverpool in 2013, and is now being coveted by Barcelona.
Sterling, meanwhile, landed himself a £49million move to Manchester City from Anfield in 2015.
In other Celtic news, fans on Twitter have shared their thoughts on Aiden Nesbitt’s performance against Rangers on Sunday.
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