KARAMOKO HAS THAT LUBO MAGIC: VIEW FROM A RIVAL

MIGHTY MITE Karamoko Dembele has earned an ultimate accolade from an opponent.

The 16-year-old winger blew away Arbroath’s experienced star Bobby Linn during the pre-season work-out at Gayfield at the weekend.

The former Dundee forward admitted Dembele reminded him of Slovakian midfield magician Lubomir Moravcik.

Linn, 33, speaking to the Daily Record, said: “There are shades of Moravcik about young Dembele. He’s got that about him. He’s two-footed and when he gets the ball, he can make things happen in an instant.

“From a fan’s point of view, he’s a dream to watch. I grew up watching Moravcik for Celtic and it was a joy.

“You would stand back and think: ‘That’s amazing’. It’s the same with this young fella. The way he played against Hearts last season tells you he’s champing at the bit for first-team game time.

TEENAGE RAMPAGE…Karamoko Dembele  on the run.

“He was gliding past Hearts players and was a threat every time he picked up the ball.

“So, it was a pleasure to play on the same pitch as him on Sunday.”

Dembele, who agreed a two-year contract at the eight-in-a-row champions last season, has forced his way into Neil Lennon’s first-team plans for this campaign.

The teenage tearaway made his debut in the last Premiership game of the term in May when he came on as a substitute for Oliver Burke at the star of the second-half against Hearts.

He immediately won over the Parkhead audience with some dazzling footwork and did enough to earn a place on the bench for the Scottish Cup Final a week later against the same opponents.

History was made at Hampden that afternoon when two goals from Odsonne Edouard sealed the unprecedented treble treble.

Now Dembele is looking to play his part in the future. At 16, he is less than half the age of Moravcik when he joined the Hoops from MSV Duisburg in 1998.     .

*DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from FK Sarajevo v Celtic tonight – only in your champion CQN.