BBC pundit Tam McManus was left drooling over exciting Celtic prospect Karamoko Dembele as the youngster made his debut against Hearts on Sunday afternoon.
The Hoops saw off their Premiership season with a comfortable win at Parkhead, Mike Johnston netting twice to seal all three points and send Neil Lennon’s men into the Scottish Cup final against the same opposition brimming with confidence.
With Celtic having little but pride to play for, having wrapped up the Premiership title, Lennon threw 16-year-old Dembele on for his first taste of senior action and McManus was impressed with what he saw.
He took to his personal Twitter account to write: “Hickey v Dembele two 16 year olds absolutely brilliant to see at that level. Wee Dembele is some talent everything he does oozes class.”
Hickey v Dembele two 16 year olds absolutely brilliant to see at that level. Wee Dembele is some talent everything he does oozes class.
— Tam McManus (@The_Tman10) May 19, 2019
Opinion
There has been an awful lot of expectation surrounding Dembele’s development and this was likely the first time many fans will have seen what he has to offer the club. It is fair to say he did not disappoint and for a 16-year-old, it was seriously impressive how well he stood up against some experienced Premiership performers. He showed no fear in coming up against top flight players and showed great individual flashes as well as a good understanding with his teammates to try and cut through the Hearts defence. This is the first of many appearances for Celtic but the question that has to be asked is whether he is ready for regular first team football. If he is, then should he be shipped out on loan in the summer rather than sticking it out in the under-23s, waiting for fleeting senior outings at Parkhead? Only the manager can decide that but even Lennon’s future is in doubt at the moment, leaving Dembele a little bit in limbo. This was an impressive performance nonetheless and fans can get excited about seeing more of what he has to offer in the future.