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Celtic transfer news: Real Madrid give Brendan Rodgers big problem ahead of deadline
CELTIC boss Brendan Rodgers faces a fight to keep Moussa Dembele. And it’s all because of Real Madrid.
Celtic: Brendan Rodgers discusses club's lack of transfers
Celtic striker Dembele is hot property. He saw a move to Chelsea fall through 18 months ago but now, having proven himself in Glasgow, a return to France may be on the cards.
Lyon and Marseille are both hellbent on snapping him up. They need firepower if they are to have any chance of challenging heavyweights PSG and Monaco for trophies this season.
Celtic insist Dembele is not for sale. Reports have, however, claimed he would be open to returning to his homeland.
And Rodgers has Real Madrid to blame for his big headache with just days of the transfer window to go.
Los Blancos have endured a tricky summer, missing out on numerous targets.
They lost Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus in a huge £105million that sent shockwaves reverberating around the footballing world.
PSG duo Neymar and Kylian Mbappe are both out of reach, with the Ligue 1 giants both insisting their star performers will not be going anywhere.
Chelsea have priced Real Madrid out of a move for Eden Hazard.
And Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane, despite supposedly being approached, have chosen to remain at Liverpool and Tottenham respectively.
So how does that impact Celtic?
The Hoops are battling to keep Dembele with Lyon now above Marseille in the race to sign him.
And it is all because of Los Blancos’ imminent deal for Lyon star Mariano Diaz.
Moussa Dembele scores hat trick for France U21
Mariano was cut loose a year ago after being deemed surplus to requirements by Zinedine Zidane.
But, a year on, he has been chosen to fill the void left by Ronaldo’s departure.
He scored 18 goals for Lyon last season, forging a terrific relationship with Memphis Depay and Nabil Fekir along the way.
Yet a Bernabeu return now beckons. And, unfortunately for Celtic, that may mean Dembele going before the deadline on August 31 with Lyon desperately needing a replacement for Mariano.