After a summer-long transfer saga, Derby County will be looking to defeat League One side Birmingham City in order to capture Karamoko Dembélé.
The 21-year-old, who is now playing for Stade Brest in France, was on loan at Blackpool in the third division last season, where he made 39 league games and scored eight goals and collected thirteen assists. In the FA Cup’s opening round matchup with recently promoted League Two team Bromley, he also found the back of the net.
Still, Alan Nixon reports that the former Celtic wonderkid is expected to return permanently to England, with Derby and Birmingham fighting it out for his long-term services.
The Rams are in control of the deal because to the promise of championship football. Siriki Dembélé, Karamoko’s elder brother, does, however, currently play for the Blues.
Both of them will benefit from moving to Derby.
With Corey Blackett-Taylor, Kayden Jackson, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, and Tom Barkhuizen vying for a spot to play out on the wings, the Rams are in need of additional youth on the wings.
Mendez-Laing established himself as Derby’s mainstay the previous campaign, and he is currently the team’s first-choice winger. On the other hand, Dembélé will provide fierce competition and reassure supporters that the team is ready for the upcoming campaign. If the player, who was born in London, decides to join DE24, his speed and low center of gravity will be two of his strongest suit. In addition, his output is very alluring and far superior than Barkhuizen’s and Jackson’s, even if his 2023–2024 campaign was statistically comparable to that of Blackett–Taylor and Mendez–Laing. Because it’s difficult to predict how each of the five will attack their defense at different stages during a game, Derby may have an advantage over their rivals due to their disparate playing styles.
Birmingham is a threat, but the transaction depends on one thing. Although they are interested in the 21-year-old, they might need to hold onto Siriki, Karamoko’s brother, in order to have any chance of purchasing him.
With two years remaining on his contract, Siriki has been linked to moves to Swansea City and Blackburn Rovers, according to reports from Darren Witcoop. However, the Blues are anxious to cling onto him.
He made just 26 starts in the Championship the previous year, but now that the team has been demoted to League One, he might play a bigger role for Chris Davies as Birmingham attempts to return to the second division as soon as possible.
Although the 27-year-old is thought to be worth £1.5 million, clubs will get more competitive as the transfer window closes on August 30 in an effort to sign their desired players.
In the event that Siriki Dembélé departs St. Andrew’s, Derby will have a distinct edge in obtaining a transfer for Karamoko and be able to allay any fears that the Pride Park supporters may have.
| Karamoko Dembélé Career Stats (All Competitions) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Celtic | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Stade Brestois | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Blackpool | 47 | 9 | 14 |
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