Which of these five Premier League clubs would be the most suitable destination for Celtic’s Moussa Dembele?

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Chelsea

Chelsea are another club who have undergone a formation metamorphosis under the tutelage of Antonio Conte this season, but both the systems used by the Italian, his initial 4-2-3-1 and now his favoured 3-4-3 line-up, feature a lone centre-forward, ideal of course for Dembele given the style he has become accustomed to playing in at Celtic. Of course, given the current state of affairs with the Blues, Dembele’s first-team prospects would appear slim, yet with question marks raised over the long-term future of Diego Costa at the club, that may just give Dembele the look-in he needs.

Granted, at 6″0 he is slightly shorter than the 6″2 presence that is Costa and may provide a little less aerial presence, but his other attributes certainly suggest Dembele would be capable of replicating Costa’s hold-up play, as well as acting as a battering ram around which Chelsea’s supporting wide-men can wreak havoc, either via the advanced wide players, who this season have mostly been Eden Hazard and Pedro, plus the added width of marauding full-backs Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso.

Though with Pedro an ageing force, and Eden Hazard believed to be wanted by Real Madrid, Antonio Conte may be forced to rebuild Chelsea’s forward-line, and the pace, power, presence and all importantly the youth of Dembele may offer the Italian coach a long-term solution.

Even if Diego Costa remains at Chelsea, if the Blues are to lose Hazard and look to gradually phase in a younger replacement for Pedro, opportunities may arise for Dembele to feature in a forward partnership with the Spanish international, which would free-up Dembele to score goals whilst profiting from Costa’s hold-up play. Playing two strikers with such similar mentalities doesn’t always bear fruit, though, and it would take trialling from Conte, should the circumstances fall into place, for the two forwards to play together at Stamford Bridge. If Hazard remains at the club, he is also sure to profit from the extra-service.

Whether Dembele would prove a good fit for Chelsea seems to hinge, therefore, on the outcome of their summer transfer business, which of course remains to be seen.