I heard earlier this transfer window that the club didn’t expect an offer for Moussa Dembele. There was interest a year ago, but a year of injury, then a fresh injury at the start of this season, convinced all that the player would be with us until January, at least.
When Real Madrid invoked a buy-out clause for Lyon striker Mariano on Wednesday, the French club were prepared to throw a lot of money around to buy a replacement, and their primary target was Moussa Dembele.
There are millions of euros at play here. Agent fees alone would be in seven figures, while the contract available for the player would dwarf anything Celtic pay. In addition, they were prepare to offer Celtic a lot of money. So what do you do?
Celtic were not planning to sell Moussa Dembele, just as they were not planning to sell Kieran Tierney in July. The club gave very clear messages to Lyon that they would not entertain a bid. Note Lyon president, Jean-Michel Aulas’ comments “I know the boss at Celtic well. He is basically like a bulldog who negotiates after yapping.”
The assumption in Lyon was that after Peter Lawwell’s “yapping” there would be some negotiation. Lyon expected Celtic to roll over, but Celtic did not bite.
The choice was to pocket the money without buying a direct replacement (as it was too late), or reject the offer. The sale was not even considered, by the manager or board. As we saw three weeks ago with Boyata, Celtic do not need the money, what they need is talented footballers.
It was right to reject the offer. Not just because we need players more than money, but because if we fold under player pressure, we will only encourage more ‘sore back/not the right frame of mind’ scenarios when contracted players are tapped up during a qualification campaign.
The football business is incredibly unstable. We contract players, who, if they succeed, will soon be able to earn millions of pounds per year more than we will ever pay them. You either sell when the big offers come, or turn your face to stone and sell when you are ready.
I don’t know if playing hardball this month will stop this happening again, but folding would guarantee tantrums every time a player receives an 80€/week offer. We could be sitting this morning with all the money in the world, but a little light up front. That’s not the plan and never has been.
The first piece of business today was the signing of central mid, Youssouf Mulumbu. Youssouf’s career came off the rails when he broke his metatarsal weeks after joining Norwich three years ago, but a cameo half season at Kilmarnock convinced Brendan Rodgers to move. Welcome to Celtic, Youssouf.
Let’s get Filip Benkovic signed up, and spank Newco back into their dystopian existence on Sunday. Oh, and Malmo and Sarpsborg would do nicely in the Europa.
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FOOL TIME WHISTLE on 31ST AUGUST 2018 6:39 PM
Post of the week!
KTF
Delaneys Dunky,
If you dropped in from straight out of nowhere and looked at things here without any allegiance. In a PLC context you could perhaps understand things.
Scunnered does not even come close to it.
I knew the writing was on the wall when Paul67 blasted we would keep on winning the League. Such utter nonsense.
Brendan was very content @ Celtic. That was so important to him. Contentment @ Work – I’d hazard a guess 90% would give up a fair bit of their salary to have contentment @ the Daily Grind – work, shifts early late whatever to make ends meet.
The Board it looks to me have decided they won’t be backing Brendan. That makes absolutely no sense.
The secret architecture of Washington DC is worth a watch.
I have no interest in Triangles.
Big Wavy
I dont disagree that his long term future was never with Celtic … but, if the sign and loan back scenario is true, it is a differnet situation now … before he had to play well to earn the move he wanted … now he has it …. his priority now will be simply not to get injured before he goes to his real job in January ….
but, if he does stay, I hope you are right … starting Sunday … the zombies are terrified of him (as they should be).
Hi MIke in Toronto
Yep. We’re in unchartered waters – I’m hoping but who knows.
Has Catman said anything other than he’s gone
Where did this buy and loan back appear ?
MIKE IN TORONTO on 31ST AUGUST 2018 7:36 PM
That sounds sensible!
KTF
MIT
what happens for the next few months … most players would not give 100% in that situation
Not sure about that. I cant name players…but if you can I stand to be corrected.
MD has missed a lot of games for us…..I thought he looked fitter and leaner at the belginning of the season but….then injury !
ON looked same at beginning … lets hope he stays fit as he’s v. important to us.
HH
Tick tock tick tock. 4 hours to go in the transfer window and a cash rich Celtic have spent FECK all on incoming players. So far Freebies & loans. Come on to FECK Celtic. Really
has MD had a medical or are they not bothering.
KINGLUBO on 31ST AUGUST 2018 7:53 PM
As you know, I’m not one for over reaction,BUT, if Moussa goes I think Scotland should declare war on France.
Wee smiley onion thingy
KINGLuBO
*****
Bloody hell …. if every country declared war on Scotland any time Celtic signed players, Celtic might be able to sign players from ….
Grand Duchy of Fenwick?
who else could Scotland beat in a fight?
Iceland actually has some handy players, and it doesn’t have an army … so we could probably take them…
If Dembele has gone, my thoughts are the BR has gone into Celtic Park and told PL to punt him as he is no longer wanted after his tantrum. Plausible?
KTF
Football is a funny old game, supporting it is not
OGLACH on 31ST AUGUST 2018 8:01 PM
Great business getting French Eddie on a free transfer!
KTF
we have the greatest supporters in the world, and the worst feckin boardroom in the world.hh.
VFR…
done!
I know you are pretty well connected …. I probably should have checked to make sure you didnt’ have any insider info before I got into this!
:)
Petec
I am truly scunnered by this Celtic FC own goal. However, my beautiful bhoy Ryan has just announced that he has bought his dad a ticket for Gerry Cinnamon at Melk Weg Amsterdam next January. Castlemilk’s second greatest son. Sipsini numero uno.
YNWA
Evening all.
Guys – we should lay off Moussa.
He is 22 years old, he is a footballer and he is French.
Bound to go in a huff sometime.
Toys out the pram, sent home for a sulk, he’ll come around again.
While we are at it we could lay off Kouassi too. He is a 20 year old lad.
Brendan looked relaxed today though why STV were allowed into Lennox town is beyond me.
4 more hours then down to football.
Hail hail
Now remember, just what I hear:
Dembele gone, £20 million. Benkovic not officially announced as they are trying to bring in a Striker as well. No further information.
Keep the Faith!
Hail Hail!
? on 31ST AUGUST 2018 8:03 PM
If Dembele has gone, my thoughts are the BR has gone into Celtic Park and told PL to punt him as he is no longer wanted after his tantrum. Plausible?
My thoughts exactly. Brendan has kicked his arse oot the door . Quite right too.
? on 31st August 2018 8:04 pm
OGLACH on 31ST AUGUST 2018 8:01 PM
reat business getting French Eddie on a free transfer!
KT
==
You as well as I know that the net spend on player thus far this season is FECK ALL. VVD’s £8Mill windfall, SA’s 7£mill transfer means that even if we spent £9mill on Eddy up front (stop laughing) we would still have banked money. WE HAVE SPENT HEE HAW thus far this window – FACT
So, this summer we have:
Failed to qualify for the CL, despite a favourable draw.
Failed to secure our manager’s number one target at RB.
Failed to secure our manager’s number one target for central midfield, despite him being a) cheap and b) the grandson of a former Celtic chairman, and desperate to play for us.
Sold our best player on deadline day with no replacement.
What a complete and utter mess. Peter Lawwell’s time as Celtic CEO is surely up after this cluster****. A truly scandalous failure of management and planning.
Pretty sure BR said yesterday that we only had two bits of business to conclude, and there were no other signings if they completed.
lennybhoy thanks, but im still feckin scunnered amateur dramatics.com.
GLENDALYSTONSILS on 31ST AUGUST 2018 8:11 PM
The French media are reporting that he’s coming back on a six month loan. It’s difficukt to work out how this suits anyone
Think we could get berahino from stoke – he’s on a goal scoring run – one every 913 days
And six months takes us to the end of feb which doesn’t make sense
Moussa gone ? Good riddance I say although we’ll all be clapping and cheering him in a charity game 20 years from now like Pierre and Cadete.
Probably get a happy birthday from the official club twitter account also.
French media saying immediate transfer, no loan.
VFR &MIT
I have met both of you. VFR on numerous occasions. You are both my kind of good men. Let’s open up this Mary’s Meals bet. If Moussa signs for Lyon and loaned back, I will donate a pony to MM.
YNWA
This may be a bit of a stretch and yes it is in a very serious context – blue hoodie man knows he can disrupt a peaceful demo with impunity not to mention the fact the music is not meant to be played.
Yeah, Sunday’s game is just footie but it shows where the culture of rule breaking denigration comes from.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmS4LMU2_c0&t=146s
Delaneys Dunky
The wee man knew I was really scunnered with it all last night but he still made me laugh when he said Celtic were making a signing with the Paradise Windfall.
He is 18 next weekend FFS. I am getting old.
Njoi Amsterdam.
I grant you the circumstances with Dembele have been pretty extreme but why do we always find that more often than not we are still “trying” to bring in AN Other into the last hours of the transfer window.
Surely the best run club in the world should be better run than that?
I suspect that any striker we will be sniffing about will be a loanee probably from the north west of england.
VFR … I cant see BR telling PL to punt Moussa unless there was someone else lined up to replace him… BR is, at the end, a smart guy, and he knows that he is judged on how many trophies he wins … and he will win more with MD than without him… certainly, if there is no replacement lined up for him.
but, if MD is gone, that, to me, would suggest that we have another striker lined up …
if so, 2 thoughts…
1.why all the hue and cry yesterday? Just to get more money for MD from Lyon?
2. Glad to hear that Jon Walters has singed for someone. …. I mean how many dud strikers will they foist on us just because they are Irish… Darryl Murphy, tony Cascarino ….Hope to go that Shane Long has already signed elsewhere
ITALIABHOY
https://m.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Moussa-dembele-a-un-pas-de-lyon/935932?xtref=http:%2F%2Fkerrydalestreet.co.uk%2Ftopic%2F11014828%2F623%2F
L’equipe have had the scoop on this all the way through. This report says there’s a six month loan agreed
Dembele goes tonight?? Tony Watt as a short term option??
We really need to get back to having players that want to play for the club. Need to get with the other disenfranchised European clubs and end this financial monopoly of the big leagues. It’s killing us.
20 m euro rising to 22 m euros ,MD will be given a five-year contract .
Celtic40me,
Interesting, different from the report I read, but agree L’Equipe appear to be his MSM leak of choice.
Not sure a loan is a good idea- how hard is he going to try, realistically?
What a mess.
Why would we not announce Bankovic right away.
Ffs what’s going on
D. :)