Celtic: Karamoko Dembele nearing return from injury | OneFootball

Celtic winger Karamoko Dembele looks to have taken yet another major step in his recovery from injury.

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After playing 90 minutes in Celtic B’s 4-0 win over Vale of Leithen last week – the first football the 18-year-old has played since fracturing his ankle against Bristol City in pre-season – the reserve team coach, Tommy McIntyre, hinted that the forward would be making a return to first-team action sooner rather than later.

Speaking to Celtic TV, McIntyre said of Dembele: “It was great to get him back. It was his first game since pre-season when he got the injury. He’s been training really well.

“The first team have been telling me that he’s been training really well with them, so he just really needs game-time. So yes, good to get him back in. I think he enjoyed it as well. You can see the qualities that he’s got – he’s a top player.”

And, following this run out for Celtic’s reserve side, the teenager appeared to take yet another step towards making a return to first-team football on Thursday evening, when Ange Postecoglou selected the England U18 international in his matchday squad for the 3-1 Europa Conference League defeat to Bodo/Glimt.

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Postecoglou will be buzzing

Despite the fact that the wide attacking areas of his Celtic squad are arguably the Bhoys’ best-stocked position, the likely availability of Dembele for the visit of Dundee this weekend will nevertheless have left Postecoglou buzzing.

Indeed, with Mikey Johnston having sustained yet another injury, in addition to James Forrest struggling with both form and fitness this season, the return of the 18-year-old will provide the Greek-Australian coach with much greater depth both on the left and right flanks over what remains of the current campaign.

Furthermore, considering the sheer amount of potential the £225k-rated sensation quite clearly possesses, not only will the return of the youngster provide the 56-year-old Bhoys boss with an impressive option from the bench, but Dembele will undoubtedly be pushing both Jota and Liel Abada for their starting berths in the Celtic side.

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As such, with this season’s Premiership title race being the closest it has been in over a decade, and with the Bhoys in need of a remarkable European comeback in the second-leg of their Europa Conference League tie with Bodo/Glimt next week, the return of the teenager who could potentially develop into one of the most exciting players to come out of Celtic Park in recent memory will certainly come as a major boost to Postecoglou and his side.