Moussa Dembele agrees personal terms with Lyon as Celtic boot out two transfer bids for striker
The French giants are poised to seal a £15m-plus deal for the 22-year-old but the Hoops are eager to have a replacement lined up before doing business
BRENDAN RODGERS has admitted Moussa Dembele’s time at Celtic could be OVER.
French giants Lyon are poised to seal a £15million-plus deal for the striker.
Dembele missed training yesterday as he and his agents held talks with Rodgers and Hoops chief Peter Lawwell.
He could now be ruled out of the Europa League play-off decider against Suduva as his future hangs in the balance.
The France Under-21 star is understood to be happy with the personal terms on offer from Lyon.
But they have had two bids booted out as Celtic are eager to have a replacement lined up before doing business.
Rodgers said: "The situation with Moussa is he had a lot going on.
“Moussa, along with his representatives, was at the club today speaking on the situation that has evolved in the last few days. He didn’t train.
“It’s a really difficult situation because he’s a very talented player.
“He came in here for £385,000, to develop and improve and become a better player.
“And then naturally, while he’s not from these shores, he can love the club and look to make the next step in his career.
“It was always going to come at some point.
“In the last couple of years, there’s been lots of speculation around it but nothing concrete.
“The whole plan that I’d spoken about with Moussa a couple of years ago lets us understand why he might be thinking of the possibility of moving on.
“The boy’s been brilliant for me in his time here, absolutely first class. It’s never been an issue but, of course, there’s also the timing for the club.
“How it will evolve over the next days, I’m unsure.
“What I have to ensure is that when the player pulls on the shirt there is a total commitment to performing.
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“It’s very difficult to build something here because every two years there will be a recycle. That’s the way it is.
“Of course, you’d love to be able to say we want to keep some of these players for five, six or seven years.
“But it’s not the reality, especially now when players can get offered three or four times the money they are on here.
“We don’t want to lose Moussa. We have made that known as well.
“But it’s something that has come up and he and his representatives have asked to explore that, which is natural.
“I had a long chat with Moussa last night.
“When I met with him a few years ago, I explained how it could go in terms of him improving and becoming a winner and showing that he can play at the highest level.
“All these steps have been taken.”
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Lyon president Jean- Michel Aulas confirmed: “We are in contact with Moussa Dembele.
"He is interested but Celtic are tricky negotiators. The Scots are firm in their management of the money.
“I know the boss of Celtic well and he is a bulldog in negotiations.”
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Lyon have moved for Dembele after sealing a £22m deal to sell Mariano Diaz to Real Madrid.
If moving, the Hoops frontman would join former Celt Jason Denayer at the Ligue 1 club.