Celtic unlikely to sell Moussa Dembele in January... even if interested clubs stump up £30m for hotshot striker 

  • Brendan Rodgers insists Celtic have no need to sell Moussa Dembele 
  • West Ham are ready to pay £20million for the striker, with others interested
  • But Celtic boss Rodgers says they might not even consider £30m 

Brendan Rodgers has warned England's top clubs they won't get Moussa Dembele this month — even if they meet Celtic's £30million valuation.

West Ham were prepared to pay £20m to land the 20-year-old Frenchman in the current transfer window.

However, speaking on the day 19-year-old Ivory Coast midfielder Kouassi Eboue's £2.8m move to the Scottish champions was finally confirmed, Rodgers insisted there is no sum which would persuade him to sell Dembele before the end of January.

Celtic striker Moussa Dembele is a hot property in the January transfer window

Celtic striker Moussa Dembele is a hot property in the January transfer window

Brendan Rodgers has said he will not be forced into selling Dembele this month

Brendan Rodgers has said he will not be forced into selling Dembele this month

'Even if a club offered what we thought was the player's worth now, we don't need to do it,' said the Parkhead boss of his bargain summer signing.


'It's one where we want to improve the team and keep developing as a team.

'I respect the market in Scotland, because it is tough. I can imagine that if someone comes in with, say, £20m it's like: 'Bloody hell', then I can understand that.

'But if you invest some more time then you can maybe get even more money.

'That's what it's about but, at this moment in time, it's about football development. It will then come hand-in-hand at one point, I'm sure. But it's definitely not now.'

Rodgers remained calm over West Ham's interest — there was no formal bid — and branded it 'normal' following Dembele's goals against Manchester City in the Champions League.

'A young kid at 20 and one of the top young strikers in Europe is bound to be linked,' he said. 'It shows how well he's developed and how well the team has done.

The forward is valued by Celtic at £30million but even that might not be enough

The forward is valued by Celtic at £30million but even that might not be enough

Rodgers barks out orders at his players during a training session in Dubai

Rodgers barks out orders at his players during a training session in Dubai

'But he won't be going anywhere. It's not part of the plan with me, his agent and the club. Nothing will change that.

'It's a testament to him and his team-mates how well he's done but I said before and without sounding arrogant, I know his value and his worth.

'I've been in England and I know the type of money that gets exchanged.'

Celtic previously raked in fees of £13m, £12.5m and £10m for Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama and Fraser Forster respectively from Southampton.

Dutchman van Dijk is now being pursued by Manchester City and Chelsea for £50m 18 months later — and Rodgers believes Celtic should be selling their best players direct to England's big guns for huge fees, cutting out middle-men like Southampton.

'The team that comes in for Moussa isn't buying the (Scottish) league. They're buying the player,' he said.

'I hear people talk about players going from certain countries but the club isn' t buying the country.

'So the value is about the player, it doesn't matter what league he's in.

'If a club wants to cash in on a player because they are struggling and need the money — and the player could go cheaper than the value actually is — then fine.

'Listen, there comes a point where, through no fault of the club, there's a natural evolution where the player moves on.

'Morally it's very difficult also to stop that.

Rodgers has said that he is under no pressure to consider selling his prized asset

Rodgers has said that he is under no pressure to consider selling his prized asset

'Even if a club offered what we thought was he is worth, we don't need to do it,' said Rodgers

'Even if a club offered what we thought was he is worth, we don't need to do it,' said Rodgers

'But we're not anywhere near that point. The player is very happy and I see him working and I see him developing.

'He's looking forward now to this next six months where it's about becoming better.'

While hinting at a loose agreement between Celtic and Dembele's agents as to when the time will be right to go, Rodgers refused to discuss when that might be.

However, Dembele himself remains calm about the prospect of spending at least another six months with Celtic, Rodgers adding: 'Moussa is a boy with an incredible belief in his ability but he backs it up.

'What I love about him as a 20-year-old boy is that he lives and breathes football.

'He doesn't waste his time doing stupid things. He prepares well and comes into training as the most laid-back guy in the world.

'But when he trains, he trains — and when he works, he works. And when you ask him about a game on TV, he watched it.

'He hasn't been on an Xbox or out doing something.

'Moussa loves football. It's his life and that's why I think when he leaves Celtic he'll go on to a big stage.

'Just hopefully not for a wee bit of time yet.'

Meanwhile, Celtic defender Eoghan O'Connell, 21, has joined Walsall on loan until the summer.

Ivory Coast midfielder Kouassi Eboue's move to Celtic was confirmed on Thursday

Ivory Coast midfielder Kouassi Eboue's move to Celtic was confirmed on Thursday