Celtic have apparently suffered a financial blow with the notional value of Moussa Dembele reduced to £30m.
The striker left Celtic for Lyon in August 2018 with the standard 10% sell-on fee inserted on top of the £20m that the hoops picked up for the transfer.
Almost since he left Celtic Dembele has been linked with a move to England but for one reason or another than has yet to happen.
In August a move looked likely on the back of scoring twice against Manchester City in the Champions League but after a slow start to the 20/21 season it seems that the striker’s value has dropped with West Ham the latest club to be linked with a move.
Picking up on the latest gossip, The Sun reports:
And insiders claim Lyon are now willing to sell the player, who was a regular for France’s Under-21s. However, the price on Dembele’s head will still be a problem for any Premier League suitors, which also include Manchester United.
Lyon could be persuaded by a bid from about £30m but which goes higher with bonuses. Celtic inserted a ten per cent sell-on clause when they sold the Frenchman for £20m in 2018 and would be due a cut of any transfer. West Ham have money to spend after the last window, when they failed to buy a new frontman.
The Celtic transfer blow headlines seem more than sensational. A £50m transfer would net Celtic £3m while a ‘cut price’ £30m deal would only bring in a £1m sell on.
With Marian Shved and Ismaila Soro in the £2m price bracket it’s unlikely that the sell on fee for Dembele is going to make much difference to Celtic’s plans or transfer budget.