He’s outscoring Kuhn: Rodgers could land his next Dembele at Celtic
Scottish champions Celtic remain the team to catch in the Premiership, with the Old Firm giants still unbeaten after 11 games played thus far, having only dropped points at home to title rivals, Aberdeen.
Also into the League Cup final – and with seven points having been picked up from just four Champions League outings – things are certainly looking bright for the Hoops, with Brendan Rodgers having enjoyed a relatively smooth transition to life back at Parkhead over the last 18 months or so.
There is, however, always room for improvement, and with the January transfer window looming, it would be no surprise to see the Glasgow side dip back into the market to strengthen their hand.
One particular area of focus may be the centre-forward ranks, with there perhaps questions to be asked over whether Kyogo Furuhashi really is the perfect fit for the Northern Irishman. The Japanese goal machine scored 54 goals in just 83 games under Ange Postecoglou, yet has since bagged ‘just’ 25 goals in 66 games under the current boss.
The burden on the 29-year-old has undoubtedly been lessened by the capture of Adam Idah, although despite scoring nine times in 18 games at the back end of last season, the ex-Norwich City man has netted only five goals in 16 games in 2024/25 so far.
Perhaps it could be said that Rodgers – who previously suggested that having three strikers in the squad would be ideal – is still looking for that figure to hang his hat on through the middle, in the mould of a certain Moussa Dembele…
Moussa Dembele's record at Celtic
It says a lot that across his entire managerial career thus far, only three players have scored more goals under Rodgers than that man Dembele, with the Frenchman netting 51 goals in just 94 games during his time at Parkhead.
|
Most goals under Brendan Rodgers |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Clubs |
Games |
Goals |
|
Scott Sinclair |
Swansea & Celtic |
238 |
95 |
|
Jamie Vardy |
Leicester City |
157 |
70 |
|
Luis Suarez |
Liverpool |
81 |
61 |
|
Moussa Dembele |
Celtic |
94 |
51 |
|
James Maddison |
Leicester City |
166 |
59 |
|
James Forrest |
Celtic |
192 |
45 |
|
Kelechi Iheanacho |
Leicester City |
143 |
43 |
|
Daniel Sturridge |
Liverpool |
70 |
43 |
|
Stats via Transfermarkt |
|||
Signed for a measly fee of just £500k from Fulham back in the summer of 2016, the then-teenager was an instant hit in his new surroundings, ending that first season with 32 goals in 49 games in all competitions.
That return included that hat-trick against bitter rivals Rangers on what was just his fourth Premiership outing, having also notably bagged a brace in the thrilling 3-3 draw with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at Celtic Park.
A further 19 goals were to follow over the 2017/18 season and the start of the following campaign, before Dembele was plucked by Lyon for a handsome profit, joining the Ligue 1 side for a fee of around £19.7m.
A major success story in the Invincible campaign, in particular, Dembele – who now plies his trade in Saudi Arabia – is a shining example for any centre-forward to follow in Glasgow, with the Hoops seemingly looking to snap up another rising star in the near future.
Celtic's search for a striker
As reported earlier this week, Celtic are believed to still be keeping a close watch on Brondby marksman, Mathias Kvistgaarden, with the Premiership leaders said to have watched ‘several’ of the Dane’s recent matches.
This follows reports from the summer which indicated that the 22-year-old was a target for Rodgers and co, with an asking price of around £8.5m having been suggested.
Whether the club would fork out such a fee – having already spent £9.5m on Idah – remains to be seen, yet the youngster certainly warrants the attention, having been “absolutely sensational” so far this season, as per journalist Antonio Mango.
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As Mango also noted, his “involvement in every game is phenomenal”, with the in-demand talent – who is also being courted by the likes of Brighton and Hove Albion – having scored 13 goals and provided five assists in just 20 games in 2024/25 so far.
That goal tally places him ahead of what even Celtic’s leading scorer, Nicolas Kuhn, has achieved this season, with the German wizard netting times from the right flank.
For Brondby in total, Kvistgaarden now boasts 37 goals and a further 17 assists in 108 appearances across all fronts, working out as a goal involvement once every two games.
That ability to both score himself and create chances for others also provides that similarity to Dembele, with the former France U21 international also registering 18 assists during his time with the Bhoys.
There may be concern over the Brondby star’s lack of experience and consistency – having netted just ten times in 2023/24 – although it’s worth remembering that Dembele had only scored 19 senior goals at Craven Cottage, prior to moving north of the border.
As such, bringing Kvistgaarden into the fold as competition or even a potential replacement for both Idah and Kyogo could represent a wise move, with there certainly no room for complacency with the Dons still breathing down their neck.
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