Bad news as Brendan Rodgers admits striker could leave Celtic

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers admits striker Moussa Dembele could leave the club this summer but says he will look to Odsonne Edouard and Leigh Griffiths to shoulder the scoring burden next season.

Dembele joined the Hoops from Fulham in 2016 and has gone on to make 85 appearances in all competitions, scoring and creating 64 goals, winning one Scottish Premiership titles, one Scottish Cup and two Scottish League Cups.

The 21-year-old, who was named in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year in his first season at Parkhead, has contributed 23 goals in 36 goals in his second season and has been linked with Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea.

Celtic appear somewhat resigned to losing the French striker this summer, but they have been recently linked with Liverpool’s Rhian Brewster as a potential replacement. The 18-year-old could join the Hoops on a season-long loan in the coming months.

Griffiths has endured an injury-hit season but has still scored 13 goals in 38 games. Edouard has netted 11 goals in 28 outings since joining on loan from Paris Saint-Germain. He could join permanently this summer too.

If Dembele leaves, Celtic will have to replace his 47 goals, and Rodgers believes the aforementioned pair can step up. He said, in quotes reported by The S*n.

“Moussa is a fantastic player and the reasons why he has come here have borne fruit. We wouldn’t want to lose him, but you have to think he’s a big talent and something may happen in the summer. We try and have the next one lined up.

“Odsonne is a top talent. If you look at him, we brought him in for a reason. He has developed and grown over the season. This is a wonderful place to continue with that education. We have Leigh Griffiths as well. He has suffered a bit with injuries this season, but he’s a top talent.

“We can use the best of the strikers in the games in order to win. I have said all along, and I know there were question marks about him, that Odsonne has everything.”