BRENDAN RODGERS will speak to Moussa Dembele today to make sure the striker is mentally attuned to play for Celtic.
It looked as though the 22-year-old French ace was heading to Lyon for a transfer fee reported to be in excess of £20million.
However, although Dembele missed last night’s 3-0 win over FK Suduva in the Europa League to go into this morning’s group stages draw, the expected deal hit the buffers.
It was understood the powerhouse frontman had agreed personal terms with the French side and was keen to make the move back home.
Rodgers wants the player in the right frame of mind to focus on the Hoops, starting with the arrival of Steven Gerrard and his new-look Ibrox side on Sunday.
The Parkhead boss said: “The club has had a significant offer, it’s been ongoing for a couple of days and we’ve taken Moussa out of it.
“We don’t want him to go. We understand the offer is significant, but it’s no good for us. It has to work for both.
“If we don’t have someone of a certain calibre and quality to come in, then, unfortunately, it can’t be done because he is not a player we want to lose.
“We’ll see how it goes. I’ll speak more to him about where it’s at.
“It’s difficult, a difficult situation for him in terms of the possibility he has. He’s a very talented player and the time will become right for him to leave here and go on and take the next steps in his career.
“But it has to work for both. And that’s something he’ll understand in time, if not now.”
