Despite having a promising start to his youth career in Scotland, Dembele, who is now 21 years old, had a difficult time with the Glasgow giants after coming up through the ranks at Celtic.
He did manage to break into the Celtic starting lineup, making ten appearances. But in the summer of 2022, he would go on to Brest, where he would play in 15 games in Ligue 1 in his first complete season.
Championship interest emerges in Karamoko Dembele
According to HITC, a number of teams in the top two divisions of English football, notably Daniel Farke’s Leeds team, are considering a summer transfer for Dembele.
“On loan at Blackpool in England’s third division, Dembele, who is under contract at French team Brest, has been a revelation.” And as compensation for a string of impressive performances, he might get a chance to play in the Premier League, with Everton, Brentford, Fulham, West Ham United, and Wolves all keeping an eye on a player who was rumored to be joining Chelsea before departing Celtic on a free transfer back in 2022.
Three clubs with aspirations to compete in the Premier League, Leicester City, Southampton, and Leeds United, are also interested. As is a Middlesbrough team hoping to recover from an unsatisfactory campaign.
Dembele, who has excelled as an attacking midfielder or right winger this season, is Blackpool’s playmaker. The team boasts one of the finest home records in League One, having scored 38 points at Bloomfield Road out of a possible 60 points.
After 40 games across all competitions, the 21-year-old has racked up seven goals and twelve assists, making him a true fan favorite among the Seasiders supporters. With Dembele playing a major role in helping Blackpool qualify for the playoffs, the team is currently in ninth place, three points behind Oxford United in sixth.
Karamoko Dembele to Leeds
Dembele is obviously attracting a lot of interest, so Leeds may not be the team to sign him this summer, but it seems unlikely that Blackpool will be able to hold onto him, and he will most certainly make a move to the Championship or higher in the future.
Here, we consult our FLW writers to find out if Dembele and Leeds would make a suitable match for the player and the team.
Adam Elliott
At just 13, he played for the Celtic U-20 side, which speaks to his talent and potential as a player, and he still has plenty of time to develop and achieve what many had thought he would when he first broke through.
Any deal for Dembele could be agreed with Brest in the summer, and his contract with the French side runs until the summer of 2026. In that sense, it likely wouldn’t be a deal that would cost Leeds a fortune to complete, and there is logic to it, but it may rely on a few factors.
Firstly, his next step should be to move up a division to play regular second tier football, and not to jump up to the top-flight straight away, which instantly makes a move to Elland Road potentially unlikely, unless the Whites fail to gain promotion.
They could still acquire Dembele in the Premier League, but it would more than likely see him exit on loan in that situation, as they will be looking for players who can make an instant impact in English football’s elite tier. However, should Leeds fail to gain promotion, Dembele is certainly an intriguing prospect.
Farke could argue that the players he has at his disposal out wide makes that the strongest area of his squad; therefore, should Leeds miss out on promotion, the likelihood would be an overhaul of his wingers. Dembele can operate centrally as well, but the diminutive forward would be the right sort of replacement for the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Willy Gnonto, who are almost certain to leave the club without Premier League football next season.
With the money they would raise for the aforementioned two, Dembele would be an obvious addition given his age and potential. He seems ready to make the transition to Championship football the following season and could be a part of Leeds’ revamped offensive line if they decide to rebuild.
Alfie Burns
Since we don’t know what division Leeds United will play in next season, it’s challenging to evaluate the club’s transfer links at this time.
This is undoubtedly one of those items that fits into that group as well.
Karamoko Dembele is a gifted player, and everyone involved has benefited greatly from his loan transfer to Blackpool. He has been quite impressive in the third division, both creating and scoring goals. It’s easy to understand why, as the summer transfer window approaches, he has suitors in England.
From Leeds’ perspective, they hope to be playing football in the Premier League next season, and it’s difficult to see Dembele going from Brest to Blackpool to the Premier League, it just feels it’s all a bit too soon. If he was to sign and Leeds win promotion, you feel like a loan back into the Championship might be beneficial in the same way his loan from Brest to Blackpool has been this year.
Obviously, things look different if Leeds remain in the Championship. Daniel Farke’s squad might not get ripped to pieces, but the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Willy Gnonto, and maybe even Dan James, will be players Leeds could cash-in on to ease financial pressure. If that’s the case, Dembele becomes an asset for them in the Championship and a perfect target to have in mind now.
It might be a good deal to do in the long run if Leeds begins forward planning with this one and puts something appropriate in place in the short future.
