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3 months ago
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A forgotten wonderkid once tipped to be the next Lionel Messi at the age of just 13 is now a free agent after being released by his club.
Karamoko Dembele, now 21, was ruthlessly axed by Ligue 1 side Brest at the end of the season despite his contract being set to run until the summer of 2026.
London-born Dembele was compared to superstar Messi at a tender age after dazzling at youth level and was tipped to 'revolutionise the game' by one publication.
But in a brutal twist, it has been announced that Dembele has been dropped by Brest altogether, rendering him a free agent and available for absolutely nothing.
Dembele had enjoyed an eye-catching campaign on loan at League One outfit Blackpool and made 47 appearances across all competitions, scoring nine goals.
Forgotten wonderkid Karamoko Dembele has been released by Ligue 1 club Brest
Dembele enjoyed a superb loan stint at Blackpool and racked up several end of season awards
He had stunned his academy coaches at Celtic after joining aged 10 and was promoted to first-team training by Brendan Rodgers just three years later.
Staggeringly, Dembele also made his Under-20 debut for the club at the same age. His senior debut then followed aged 16 in 2019 - before his career fizzled out.
Once his contract expired three years later, Brest handed him a four-year deal.
Having struggled for regular first-team action, he was sent out on loan to Blackpool, where manager Neil Critchley hailed him as a 'brilliant footballer'.
'He's really courageous, he takes the ball into any area of the pitch and backs himself - he's got real bravery,' Critchley told the Blackpool Gazette.
The youngster was compared to all-time great Lionel Messi at the tender age of just 13
Dembele racked up 20 goal involvements at Blackpool in a bid to breathe life into his career
The diminutive forward represented both Scotland and England's youth ranks internationally
Dembele racked up 20 goal involvements and scooped the club's Players' Player, Supporters' Player and Junior Seasiders' Player of the Season gongs.
He was eligible to represent Scotland, England and the Ivory Coast internationally and turned out for Scotland's U-16s and England from U-15 to U-18.
After impressing for Celtic's U-13s in the Bassevelde Cup in Belgium, David Feeney, Dembele's former coach at Park Villa Boys Club in Glasgow, compared him to Messi.
'I think he is very similar to Lionel Messi. If he has the right guidance, then the sky is the limit for him,' Feeney said, making eye-catching headlines.
According to SportBible, Bristol City and Derby are now keeping tabs on him.
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