Why Fulham’s Moussa Dembele is a superb coup for Scottish Champions Celtic

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On June 28th, Fulham fans finally heard the news that they had been anxiously anticipating for months: Moussa Dembele had left the club. However, the destination of the young French striker surprised many, as instead of joining Europe’s elite, Dembele signed for Celtic. Nevertheless, the forward will bring pace, energy, and clinical finishing to the Scottish champions.

The transfer of Moussa Dembele marks Brendan Rodger’s first signing since being appointed as manager earlier this summer. The acquisition is a shrewd one, as Celtic attained the services of Dembele for a nominal fee, since he was out of contract. Fulham will be awarded a development fee for the Frenchman – a total far less than the £5 million pound fee that had supposedly been agreed with Tottenham Hotspur last winter. Signing Dembele for a fraction of his reported value is a great piece of business for Celtic.

In addition, Dembele is a truly special talent who scored 17 goals in the Championship last season as a teenager. Only 19 years of age, the Frenchman possesses great strength and speed, which allows him to get behind opposition defences at ease. His aerial ability is also superb, and his knack of finding pockets of space in the six yard box is uncanny. Through this brilliant intuition Dembele scored a multitude of tap ins and scruffy goals last season, clear signs of a clinical striker.

Dembele will bring his much needed goal scoring skills to Celtic Park, where a handful of strikers have already departed this off-season. Stefan Scepovic, the Serbian striker who Celtic signed for £2.3 million in 2014, has been allowed to leave to Sporting Gijon. Anthony Stokes and Carlton Cole have also been shown the door, leaving Celtic with a lack of attacking talent. The signing of Moussa Dembele will go a long way to filling that hole.

Fulham fans will nevertheless be shocked that Dembele traded the Championship for the Scottish premiership, leagues that are of very similar quality. The argument could easily be made that the Championship is a more demanding division, and Dembele’s move cannot truly be seen as a step up. Considering that Dembele is a proven Championship performer, only moving to Celtic seems odd. A move to the Premier League or another European top division would make more sense, like Emerson Hyndman’s transfer to Bournemouth.

In the end, Moussa Dembele will be plying his trade at Celtic Park next year, and the Hoops will be lucky to have his services.