This morning, journalist Alan Nixon revealed that Birmingham City is competing with Derby County to recruit highly regarded forward Karamoko Dembele.
The 21-year-old, who is the brother of Blues winger Siriki Dembele, has a deal with French club Stade Brestois until 2026.
He is, however, free to leave this season if a suitable offer is made. Last season, he scored 8 goals and assisted 13 times for Blackpool in League 1, helping them finish just outside the play-offs.
Karamoko Dembele: Player Profile
Karamoko Dembele captivated football fans across Europe when he made his Celtic debut at the age of 16. The boy was dubbed ‘the future Messi’ after videos of his juvenile goals, assists, and abilities went viral. However, after repeated injuries and a lack of playing time in the Scottish giant’s first squad, Dembele moved to France in 2022. The England under-18 international struggled for consistent minutes in France and was loaned out to Blackpool for the 23/24 season, when he reminded supporters of his abilities.
Despite his short stature of 5ft 5inches, Karamoko Dembele’s superb ball control allows him to glide past people as if they aren’t even there. He completed 50 successful dribbles for Blackpool last season and won 76 fouls, demonstrating the threat that the offensive midfielder poses to opposing defenders.
Karamoko Dembele also fared admirably in terms of goal involvement, scoring 8 times out of an expected total of 4 and assisting 13 times out of a possible 6. This data demonstrates the youngster’s capacity to create something out of nothing, whether it’s a long-range shot on goal or a lethal pass to split the opposition’s backline. His remarkable playmaking skill is also reflected in his pass accuracy, which was 80% in 23/24, allowing him to create 77 chances for his teammates.
Dembele concluded the season as Blackpool’s highest assister and second most goalscorer, despite predominantly playing in an attacking midfield role, as the club finished 8th, three points behind the play-off places.
Competition
As previously said, newly promoted Derby County are also interested in Dembele, who wowed them and the rest of League 1 last season. It will be difficult for Blues to win over the attackers in the near run, as Championship football is undoubtedly more tempting than League One. Siriki Dembele, on the other hand, could help persuade his brother that the Second City is where he needs to be for long-term success.
Final Thoughts
Karamoko Dembele, in my opinion, would be an excellent addition to Birmingham City, competing with Koji Miyoshi for the right-wing position. He has demonstrated his ability to succeed in League One and has the potential to advance far beyond the third division, hopefully with the Blues. Winning possession 21 times in the final third, fourth most in the league, for Blackpool last season is an important statistic that demonstrates he will fit into Chris Davies’ aggressive pressing approach. It would be fantastic if Birmingham City’s financial might and ambition, along with some potential persuasion from his brother, could entice Karamoko Dembele to join Blues, as they would gain another valuable asset to their assault.
