- 19 hours ago
Moussa Dembele: Which Premier League clubs does he suit?
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
- 4 min read
Lyon striker Moussa Dembele has been a player perennially linked with a move to the Premier League since exploding onto the scene with Fulham in 2015-16.
He played two games with Cottagers in the English top flight as a youngster and is apparently destined one day to return. He seemed closer than ever during the summer, with the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea all reportedly interested in him. A touted £60 million move never materialised and he remains in the Rhone Valley.
For how much longer, though, is up for question.
The player’s stock may have fallen after a disappointing start to the Ligue 1 campaign, but David Moyes’ West Ham are reportedly ready to launch a £30m move for the forward in January.
Moussa Dembele to West Ham?
The wonderful thing about Dembele in the centre-forward role is that he is so versatile. The data shows that he is capable of effectively playing the position in a myriad of ways, though most commonly as a poacher.
While that may give West Ham fans a cold sweat given their perception of Sebastien Haller being lazy, the fact that his attributes dovetail nicely into the role of a mobile striker makes him altogether more promising.
Indeed, it is an alternative to the injured Michail Antonio that David Moyes is searching for.
The data suggests that Dembele would bring different attributes to the role but is not far off being a similar fit to the Englishman, who has been deployed as a pressing forward.
What the former PSG youth player may marginally lack in industry, though, he makes up for penalty-box presence and goals.
How would Dembele fit in at Man Utd?
Manchester United are the other club Dembele has been most closely linked with. Recent form means that a switch to Old Trafford in the near future is unlikely, but how might he fit in there?
Clearly, he is unlike any forward on United’s books.
The Red Devils rely solely on mobile forwards in the form of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and even Edinson Cavani.
Dembele does not fit that mould necessarily, but he would offer them an alternative that they don’t currently have on their books: a player capable of being a focal point in attack.
Criticised in recent times for being too predictable and unable to breakdown teams that play with a low defensive bloc, Dembele would offer Solskjaer’s men a much-needed target in the centre of the field. He would represent a different tool to the ones they currently have on offer while also being able to slot into their currently system due to his versatile skillset.
Perhaps the Premier League forward he bears the most similar resemblance to is Tottenham’s Harry Kane. While Dembele cannot match the goal production of the England forward, he has a similar make up, although is not as strong in his creative functions.
Should he rediscover his best form, he could be lined up as a possible alternative to the two-time Golden Boot winner.
