N’Golo Kante has talked up the international credentials of reported Chelsea target Moussa Dembele.
Dembele has starred for Celtic so far this season, scoring 29 goals in 42 games since joining the club for just £500,000 from Fulham in the summer.
The Frenchman was a reported target for Premier League leaders Chelsea in the winter transfer window, although the striker denied any claims that he was set to leave Scotland.
Manchester United have emerged as leading contenders for his signature this summer, but Chelsea midfielder Kante wants to see the 20-year-old earn his first international cap __with France.
“If Dembele is called up, it will be fully deserved,” he told Sun Sport. “You do not score the amount of goals that he has scored this season and it goes unnoticed.
“He has been one of the most prolific strikers in Europe this season. He must be playing __with so much confidence and that is always one of the most important things for a striker.
“The coach picks on form. I don’t think the fact he isn’t playing for what people might consider one of the elite European clubs will be held against him.
“The coach gave me a chance when I was at Leicester and Dimitri Payet a chance when he was at West Ham. I do not think that is a worry. He’s scoring a lot of goals and playing well — that’s all that matters.”