Former Blackpool star Karamoko Dembele and his club Brest could be forced to play their home games 70 miles from their home ground.
Dembele’s club Brest finished third in Ligue One next season and will take their place in the revamped Champions League. The amount of teams have increased from 32 to 36 with the format moving away from group stages where a team would play three other teams twice.
Brest have been told though that they will be unable to use their Stade Francis Le Ble home for their games next season. UEFA ruled that their stadium does not meet their standards with only 5,000 seats at their ground deemed acceptable by European football’s governing body.
As a result, Brest have submited a request to use Guingamp’s Stade de Roudorou. It has a capacity of 18,462 and is located 70 miles east of Brest. Guingamp play in Ligue 2, the second division of French football, but their home ground could be welcoming some of the world’s biggest stars next season.
It is unsure yet whether Dembele will play a part at Brest this season after a successful loan spell at Bloomfield Road. The 21-year-old has just come off the back of a campaign that saw him register 14 goals and nine assists in 47 games for the Seasiders.
His form in England has attracted the attention of clubs in the Premier League and the Championship. Last week Sheffield Wednesday made an enquiry to Brest about taking Dembele on loan but it is still unclear as to what Brest’s plans are for Dembele.
Although he has a contract with the French team until the summer of 2026, Everton, Nottingham Forest, West Ham, Fulham, Brentford, Leicester City, and Southampton are among the English premier league teams interested in signing him. Leeds United and Middlesbrough are both eager to compete in the Championship.
