Opinion: Will Celtic address first-team exit of high profile talent?

It is interesting that Celtic have not addressed the exit of a first-team squad player whose contract has expired – Karamoko Dembele.

He might not have featured for the Hoops every week, but he was still a high profile talent who could go on to have a big career in the game, and oddly Celtic have not said anything about the player’s contract coming to and end, and the 19-year-old winger leaving the club.

Last season Dembele made two first-team appearances for the Bhoys, and featured in the squad on five occasions. That number arguably could have been a lot higher if the attacker hadn’t suffered an injury in pre-season training.

By the time he returned the Hoops had wingers in good form in the squad – Jota and Liel Abada – and Dembele’s chances of regular first-team action were slim.

Still, the teenager did end up making the first-team squad on a few occasions, which shows that he was in Ange Postecoglou’s plans, but that seemed to come to an end, perhaps when he indicated that he wasn’t going to sign a new deal with the Hoops.

It will be interesting to see where Dembele goes next, as he is undeniably a talented player. What he perhaps should consider doing is going to an English Championship side, and trying to impress there so that he gets a move to a Premier League team in England. That could happen, he certainly has the ability to play at a high level.

It is unfortunate that he hasn’t signed a new contract with Celtic, but these things happen in football. There is always a turnover of squad players at every club every summer, and some departures are more high profile than others, and Dembele fits into that category.

Perhaps when he gets his next team sorted is when the Hoops will announce that the player has left the