Player’s ‘bad luck’ after leaving Celtic, fails to shine and needs to learn

Moussa Dembele isn’t getting a honeymoon period in France.

Lyon signed the player from Celtic to replace Mariano Diaz, who moved back to Real Madrid in the summer window.

The transfer wasn’t exactly smooth, with Dembele and Brendan Rodgers falling out, and the striker leaving Celtic Park under a cloud and having turned some of the club’s fans against him.

Dembele’s first appearance for Lyon was in the 2-2 draw with Caen, a match for which L’Equipe rated his performance as just 4/10.

Wednesday’s edition of the same French newspaper takes a look at Lyon’s attacking options and for Dembele they explain it’s ‘bad luck’ that he started in a difficult game for the club.

Since then, the player has been trying to edge his way in, ahead of the club’s other options in attack. L’Equipe explain that having come on as a substitute against Marseille on Sunday, Dembele failed to shine, despite Lyon winning the game 4-2.

There’s not a huge amount of criticism yet, no insinuation the Celtic transfer will be a flop, but Dembele should be under no illusion that there’s a focus on him and he’s expected to deliver.

The French newspaper believe he may need time to learn Lyon’s patterns of play.