Former teen star is now real deal

FAMOUSLY, Karamoko Dembele was just 13 when he made his debut for Celtic’s under-20 side in 2016.

- By Chris Dunlavy

The resulting social media explosion immediately saw the schoolboy winger hailed as the heir to Lionel Messi - and the hyperbole didn’t stop there.

Three years later, after just one first-team appearance for the Bhoys, the influential French football title L’Equipe named Dembele alongside Barcelona’s Ansu Fati as one of the six outstanding young players set to revolutionise the game. “Vivid and agile, the British striker seems destined for a great career,” they wrote.

Inevitably, the hype train derailed. Whether it was his miniature 5ft 6ins frame or managerial churn, Dembele’s opportunities withered, and any prospect of a career in Glasgow was ended by a broken ankle sustained during a pre-season friendly against Bristol City in 2021.

By the time his contract expired 12 months later, Dembele had become a footnote in Celtic’s history. A subsequent move to Ligue 1 with Brest proved even more forgettable.

Yet in the last 12 months, first on loan at Blackpool and now at QPR, Dembele has provided a welcome reminder of the huge potential that - at 21 - remains largely untapped.

Last season yielded eight goals, 13 assists, three player of the year awards and the fulsome praise of Seasiders manager Neil Critchley.