Celtic are expected to be busy this January once again. In fact, the club have already gotten deals done for Yuki Kobayashi and Alistair Johnston, and there could be more to come, especially considering the fact that the futures of Josip Juranovic and Giorgos Giakoumakis are up in the air, and they could be on their way out.
Johnston could very well be the replacement for Juranovic, if the Croatian does end up sealing a big money Parkhead exit after a sensational World Cup campaign. The Hoops will need to replace Giakoumakis in case of an exit though.
Kyogo is the only other recognised striker in the squad, while Daizen Maeda can fill in there if the situation calls for it. The Hoops do not have another forward who has the same profile as Giakoumakis though, and one cannot overlook his brilliant goal record in Scotland either.
Thus, letting Giakoumakis leave in the middle of the season and bringing in someone unproven in Scottish football would be a risk. But what if they could bring back a player who has already proven to be a world-class striker in Scotland?
Celtic told to bring back former star in bargain deal
With just six months left on Moussa Dembele’s current deal with Lyon, he seems to be available for a bargain transfer fee and Celtic have been urged to bring him back.
As reported by Football Insider, Alan Hutton said:
"“I do not see why you would not.“He was excellent during his time at Celtic, he obviously got the big money move. If we are talking £4m it would be a no-brainer.“He knows the club, he knows what it is all about. He has still got that connection with the fans, he likes his little dig at Rangers now and then so he obviously loves to be involved in all of that.“I still think he has got a lot to give but I do not think Celtic would be his only option at that kind of price. I think strikers are hard to come by at that level so I am sure he will have other options as well.“"
Dembele was an absolute superstar at Celtic before leaving for Lyon. According to stats from Transfermarkt, he had scored 51 goals in 94 appearances for the club. He has remained a fan favourite for his social media activity, as he has continued to show his support for the Hoops.
It would be a no-brainer to bring back someone of his quality, especially for a bargain transfer fee. The problem is, it is unlikely that he would want to return to Celtic Park at this stage of his career.
Dembele is 26 years of age and very much in the middle of his prime. On top of that, he is going to be a free agent at the end of the season. Thus, there should no lack of clubs trying to sign him soon. And Celtic simply cannot compete with the wages that Premier League clubs would be able to offer the Frenchman. He has been linked with a move to Manchester United several times in the recent past.