Barcelona eye Moussa Dembele as Luis Suarez replacement after Henrik Larsson ‘makes contact’ with ex-Celtic striker
FORMER Celtic star Moussa Dembele is being lined up for a stunning switch to Barcelona – by Henrik Larsson.
Lyon are ready to sell the French striker, two years after his £20million switch from Parkhead.
Dembele has been a huge success in France, netting 44 goals – including a double in the Champions League quarter-final win over Manchester City.
But after Lyon failed to qualify for Europe after finishing seventh in Ligue 1, they are willing to cash in on Dembele.
And Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio claims Parkhead icon and new Barca No2 Larsson has already been in contact with the 24-year-old over a move to the Camp Nou.
Larsson – who was appointed Ronald Koeman’s assistant last week – sees Dembele as an ideal replacement for Luis Suarez, who is set to leave this summer.
Dembele is also wanted by Premier League giants Manchester United and Chelsea and could command upwards of £50m.
Celtic cannily negotiated a sell-on clause which is estimated to earn them 10-15 per cent of any fee above the £20m fee they received when he left Glasgow in 2018 – meaning they could land as much as £5m from any deal.
And Lyon’s director of football Juninho admitted the former Celt is likely to move on.
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Speaking after the semi-final defeat to Champions League winners Bayern Munich, he said: “If we continue the way we have, we will be back in the Champions League very soon.
“Players will be leaving, like Houssem Aouar and Moussa Dembele, but I’m not worried.
“We want to secure Champions League football next season.”