Brendan Rodgers was one of the managers in Europe to see his stocks rise massively after he masterminded Celtic to a domestic treble. Under the tutelage of Rodgers, the Bhoys clinched the Scottish Premiership title without losing a single game and lifted the Scottish Cup and League Cup as well in a season which was thoroughly productive for the Glasgow based outfit. Frankly speaking, they seemingly appeared to be miles ahead of their domestic rivals.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Celtic’s 2016-17 season was the manner in which the former Liverpool and Swansea City manager laid emphasis to elevate the youngsters he had at his disposal to the next level. The likes of Kieran Tierney, Moussa Dembele and Patrick Roberts carved a name for themselves in the good books of the football fraternity due to the aura and effectiveness they plied their trade with and no wonder why they are being targeted by top clubs across the continent.
Owing to an apparent dearth of the availability of quality strikers in the business, Dembele has undoubtedly emerged as one of the most sought after names in the summer transfer window. The Frenchman banged 24 goals last season for the Celts, including 3 goals scored by him in the Champions League and his exceptional poaching abilities inside the box has earned him a wide-scale attention. However, Dembele has refrained from discussing his future and this has undoubtedly put Celtic in a pretty awkward scenario.
Although the Hoops have erected a strong footing for themselves domestically, it is not only the continuation of such a stellar run of form which they would be eyeing, for Rodgers has his sights on making his troops a fearsome side in the elite European competition. For the construction of the same, he would need the services of the former Fulham man and losing him could leave with a notable void in their offensive game plan which could hinder their progress.
The 20-year-old is a shrewd commodity up front with his clinical finishing and blistering pace making him an appealing player for any top side. Besides, he is aerially very sound, dribbles the ball well and always intends to make something happen inside the box with his notable physical presence. If Celtic are to make any sort of galvanising impact in the Champions League next season, they would need one of their main man in the shape of Dembele to step up and thus, they must resist the temptation of striking him off their books so soon.
Statistics Credits: WhoScored
