CELTIC’S Costa Rican defender Cristian Gamboa believes Moussa Dembele is now capable of playing for ANY club in the world.
The 20-year-old French striker scored two more in the 2-0 win over Hamilton Accies at the weekend to take his season’s tally to 29.
Leigh Griffiths claimed a phenomenal 40 strikes in the last campaign and Dembele, with up to 15 games remaining all competitions, could top that record.
The powerhouse frontman has been linked with a host of big-money outfits in recent months with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich apparently taking an interest in the player who cost the Hoops a £500,000 development fee from Fulham in the summer.
Gamboa, who joined the champions for £1million from West Brom in August, reckons his team-mate could easily cut it at the top end of the English Premier League – or any country he chooses.
The adventurous right-back said: “Yeah, 100 per cent, he can do it. He can go to Real Madrid or wherever he wants. He is a top-class player.
“The age he is, just 20, means there is a lot that he still has to do. Just imagine what he’s going to be like when he’s 25 when he is a more mature player and he has more experience.
“I think he will be really good, better than he is just now.
“But he is having a really good season for Celtic. It is good for Celtic and it is good for us as a group. We enjoy it.”
Dembele scored a spectacular opening goal on the stroke of half-time and chipped in a penalty-kick in the second-half as Brendan Rodgers’ side saw off the stubborn resistance of a gallant Accies outfit.
They took their unbeaten domestic run this season to 32 games.
With just 12 Premiership fixtures remaining, the odds on going through the campaign undefeated are shortening by the week.
But Gamboa insisted: “We don’t talk about it. As a group, we don’t think about the record, we don’t think about how many games we have unbeaten.
“We just try and get the three points and go further and further up the table. I think this is the key to success. Before every game, the gaffer tries to get everyone in the same mindset – to do whatever it takes to win the game. This is the key. We keep winning.”
Inverness Caley Thistle remain the only side to have taken points from Celtic this season.
Richie Foran’s side host the Hoops again on Wednesday and Gamboa is adamant Rodgers’ side are desperate to atone for that one blot on their copybook.
He said: “We just remember that game and at the end they scored for a draw.
“We’re not thinking about revenge – just the three points as we aim to be top of the table at the end of the season.
“I think it’s football – sometimes it can happen that you draw. After that, we realised we had to work harder and after the Inverness game we’ve been on our run.”
