Brendan Rodgers first signing for Celtic has been confirmed as striker Moussa Dembele (19), who was out of contract at Fulham. Capped up all French youth levels, Moussa was subject to a £6m bid from Tottenham in January, but Fulham chose to retain the player in their fight for Championship survival.
Sought-after players are seldom available out of contract, and even less-seldom come to Scotland, so this is a bit of a coup for Brendan’s Celtic.
I spent most of the day telling people this one works on paper but that I was concerned at his age. Then I realised he’s a French contemporary of Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman (4 weeks older than Moussa). I’ll put my ageism back in its box.
Welcome to Celtic, Moussa, and well done to everyone who pulled the deal together.
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Giggsy-there is an element in EPL clubs not wanting to sell some players to rivals,as they might come back and embarrass them
Mats
Spurs, Chelsea, arsenal and Bayern were not scouting any off those you mentioned .. But you knew that,
Well done catman:-).lets hope duffy at centre half firms up as that is a problem position with injuries at moment.
Welcome to Celtic Moussa
HH
Mark Sagers on Talksport fairly ripping into Hodgson, half the team and the whole hierarchy. He’s actually the first pundit I’ve heard admitting it’s not a four year problem but a forty year one. The Germans are going for their 10th final since then, while England have zero. I made the point to my wee scouser mate in work that since 66, no English player would be in the top 20 or even 30 European best list. Thats reserved for the likes of Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Ronaldo, Zidane and Iniesta. They never seen to have a big name star talisman of that level. Even the best two British players of my time to have played in England are Dalglish and Best, again not English.
Sagers is still going off on one, like that prat Durham earlier. Its the usual two yearly autopsy by the press pack down there, but this one has really pushed them over the edge.
For all their riches they never learn. I cant help thinking the old Rule Britannia psyche is hard wired into not just England’s fans.
For the doubters-
From BBC website last January transfer window. – MOUSSA DEMBELE (19, striker) Fulham
Linked with: Everton, Manchester United, Tottenham
Not to be confused with the Tottenham midfielder of the same name, this Paris St-Germain product is building his own reputation. Dembele has scored 10 times this term and his pace, strength and finishing have caught the eye.
Marrakesh Express on 28th June 2016 7:45 pm
Listened to a lot of that on the radio today, but by the middle of next week they’ll be favourites to win the world cup in Russia 2018. They never really learn.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jan/30/moussa-dembele-tottenham-6m-transfer-fulham-loan-end-of-season
Moussa Dembélé is having a medical at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday before a £6m transfer from Fulham but the likelihood remains that the centre-forward will be loaned back to Craven Cottage for the remainder of the season.
Tottenham want the 19-year-old straight away, with the need for cover up front for Harry Kane well documented and they continue to push for the deal to happen now. But Fulham are steadfastly refusing to allow Tottenham to have their way over their No1 January transfer target, as they fight for survival towards the foot of the Championship.
Fulham are under a Football League transfer embargo, which prevents them from making signings this month – apart from cut-price loans – and so it has made no sense to them to sell Dembélé, one of their star players and only goal threats, when they cannot replace him adequately.
Dembélé, who has 11 goals in all competitions this season, is out of contract in the summer but if he moved to an English club as a free agent, Fulham would still receive a fee for him, which would be fixed by a tribunal.
Tottenham continue to hope that they can break Fulham’s resolve regarding the timing of Dembélé’s arrival before Monday night’s transfer deadline and it is fair to say that the player wants to join them immediately.
But at the very least, Tottenham have seen the merit in tying up the deal now, even if it means them paying a bit more than they might have done at tribunal, because there is such interest in the player both in England and mainland Europe
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jan/31/fulham-call-off-moussa-dembeles-6m-move-to-tottenham-over-loan-back
Fulham have angrily called off Moussa Dembélé’s proposed £6m move to Tottenham Hotspur after a row over the centre-forward’s loan-back arrangement.
The west London club have insisted all along that Dembélé cannot and will not be allowed to play elsewhere for the remainder of the season given their precarious position just above the Championship relegation places and the imperative to keep hold of one of their few goal threats.
Fulham negotiated a deal with Tottenham that would allow the 19-year-old to sign off on the deal now but return to Craven Cottage until the end of May. Dembélé’s Fulham contract expires at the end of the season and even though he would then be permitted to move as a free agent, they would still receive a fee for him at tribunal if he were to join an English club.
Dembélé underwent a medical at Tottenham on Saturday and the transaction looked set to be confirmed. But Tottenham have continued to push for the player to be allowed to join them straight away to the point where it became a deal-breaker. There is understood to be precious little chance of the deal being revived before the window shuts on Monday night.
Amid acrimony and accusations of agreements being reneged upon, Dembélé has been left disappointed and Tottenham will have to look elsewhere for the cover up front for Harry Kane that they need immediately. They could make a move for West Bromwich Albion’s Saido Berahino, the striker that they unsuccessfully tried to sign last summer.
Fulham are also set to tie their other main forward, Ross McCormack, to a lucrative, new long-term contract. The club rejected a £9m offer for McCormack from Middlesbrough and then turned down a transfer request he submitted. But he has been appeased by their offer of increased terms and he is expected to sign on Monday.
Another transfer which has seemingly fallen through is Jordan Rhodes’s move from Blackburn Rovers to Middlesbrough. Rhodes was quoted as being “baffled and disappointed” by Middlesbrough’s decision to withdraw from the deal. The forward said he passed a medical and agreed personal terms on a switch to the Riverside Stadium on Saturday, but was informed on Sunday morning that Middlesbrough had cancelled the move. However, Middlesbrough have claimed the deal broke down because they were unable to agree terms with Rhodes.
“The club can confirm that we have held talks with Blackburn Rovers striker Jordan Rhodes over the weekend but have failed to agree terms,” a statement from the club’s official website read. On Friday Middlesbrough released a statement confirming they had agreed a fee with Blackburn for Rhodes, who is contracted at Ewood Park until July 2019. The transfer fee was reportedly worth £11m – £9m up front and £2m in add-ons. But Rhodes now looks set to see out the 2015-16 campaign with Blackburn. Rhodes has scored 85 goals in 169 matches for Blackburn since leaving Huddersfield, where he netted 87 times in 148 games, in a deal worth up to £8m in August 2012.
Evening Celts
Dembele….looks like an inspired signing.
Well done Celtic.
HH
MASTY@7:36
What I do know is that Celtic always do what they think is best within their financial constraints.
Haven’t they proved this, if as you say, they persuaded Moussa to join us in preference to the clubs you quote?
Surely you can’t have missed the ‘blame game’ that has been running for the last four years amongst some of our support, whenever a signing doesn’t work out.
Add Fletcher, or a player of his type, to Dembele and Griffiths and we would appear to have a great mix of strikers, and turned a weakness into a strength, with Aitchison being brought through to back them up.
Moussa D in the house..
http://www.celticfc.tv/archive
Welcome Moussa – now go and make yourself a legend
I liked the way Brendan’s assistant told the assembled lapdogs yesterday,that no signings were imminent…:))
Welcome to Celtic Moussa.
Is it true your middle initials are K and A?
Dembele`s arrival suggests two up front. That being so, four in midfield also seems likely.Who should fill the roles (and we might take the Joe Allen rumour into account) from this group: Roberts, Brown, Bitton,Allan,Allen,Christie,Armstrong,Rogic, Forrest,McGregor,Henderson,Ajer,GMS,Commons and anyone else I may have forgotten ?
JJ
HRVATSKI JIM @ 6:39 PM,
Thanks for that…
Shooting as well eh! looked on as a bit of an old fashioned quality when we’ve been signing strikers recently:)
I’m liking the the way BR is managing the squad and glad he’s getting the Board’s backing.
Hail Hail
If we sign Joe Allen, i will cartwheel down Maryhill Rd until i collapse.
I will then laugh uncontrollably…for at least three days.
Cmon Celtic….put the boot right into those cheating bassas:)
HH
Evening Timland, hun free in the valley.
Super signing Celtic, well done to all those involved.
JJ
I can’t see BR playing a 442, 433 more likely imo, or 4411 or 4141 or even Ronnys fav 4231, just can’t see him playing a 442.
But we will find out soon enough, we may even find out within the next 48 hours.
HH
How I see them ( roughly):
Wide players:
Forrest,Roberts.GMS.
Creative:
Bitton,McGregor,Allan,Henderson
All rounders:
Brown, Allen,Armstrong,
Attack minded:
Christie,Rogic,Commons
Unknown:
Ajer.
Masty/Corkcelt, When they closed the Lisbon Lions upper tier supporters had to move elsewhere. When it became clear that this season the seating would need to be put back into use, the club offered to relocate fans back to LL upper if they so wished. It was something like that anyway. Could be a reason why the dots are in a state of flux.
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD
Ohh there ye ur, ah thought ye wur posting under another name these days:))
If we sign Joe Allen I will need to be sedated…heavily…
HH
Starry Plough
Hows it going comrade.
Dembele…ooft
But Joe Allen would be a tremendous kick in the nether regions of the zombies.
Live in hope.
What a statement that would be:)
HH
TET
Yes, although I said D`s arrival suggested two up front, my own feeling was that the modern preference is to go with one. Where would Dembele play if not up front? Would 4411 mean Dembele playing just behind Griff? I would see that as more or less two up front.
As I have regularly said, though, the numbers are all on paper. When I am at the Celtic Park games, we are regularly playing with eight up front!
JJ
PS Had a Coto de Imaz ,2005, at the weekend. Beautiful. Really beautiful.
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD
Still sore from laughing’ last night:))
I was out in the street dancing’ in front of my house, I swear the Italian guy upstairs thinks ah’m mental:)))
If anybody can pull Joe Allen it’s the gorgeous BR…
But hey let’s no get carried away, the HUns will pus the boat out soon, so careful now!
Did you see Lee Wallace says we’re playing’ catch up:))))
ROTFL
JJ
I agree on the eight up front, far too many get hung up on formations, it’s how we perform that matters, nothing else.
A wee bit warm here for the vino tinto, glad you enjoyed it :-)
HH
Starry Plough
Island…Island..:)
That was sweet indeed….hats off to the Icelanders,….solid.
As for Joe Allen….the sevconian mob will be terrified as we speak:)
All we need now….is for a unexpected meteorite to level the circus of horrors…..Act of God:)
HH
Macanbeatha
A fine man
A fine life
RIP hero
HH
I am determined to get a response as to what our favoured line up should be next season! Let`s imagine that Lustig and Brown are fit and back to their top form. Let`s also imagine that we sign Duffy and Joe Allen. In those circumstances, what would our line up be?
JJ
PS What position does Sinclair play? 0:-)
Paul67 et al
Joe Allen reminds me a bit of Paul Hartley.
I think it might be the beard!
JJ
Gordon Lustig Erik KT Duffy
Brown…J Allen…Paddy Roberts…Tom Rogic
Moussa Griff
Job Done:)
HH
Joe Allen has had great euro campaign
Be great for us in Europe
good night all
thank you for being here
Gordon
ML Eric “DUFFY ” KT
AJ, BITTON, JOE Allen ,
Paddy R, The Mouss and The Griff.
433 .
Thought about Broonie in for AJ but if stories about him (AJ) are true then I think he would be more flexible.
Istanbul airport shots and explosions reported.
Who is AJ ?
JJ
STARRY PLOUGH on 28TH JUNE 2016 8:26 PM
THE GREEN MAN SAYS SACK THE BOARD
Did you see Lee Wallace says we’re playing’ catch up:))))
_____
Ach give the wee laddie a break; he’s obviosly still concussed after taking a few from the Hibs Support after the Scottish Cup Final.
Yeah, who is AJ – Ally McCoist demands to know?