Manchester City's Pep Guardiola has refused to rule out interest in Celtic star Moussa Dembele.

The 20-year-old French striker is being linked with a possible £30million move to the Etihad Stadium at the end of the current season.

Guardiola played down City's reported pursuit of the talented youngster but did laud the former Fulham forward who is expected to leave Celtic Park in the summer.

"If you read the newspapers in the last six months, since I became a coach at Manchester City, maybe I have had contact with 126 players to buy them for Manchester City," Pep said ahead of Tuesday night's Champions League clash with Celtic.

"Dembele is another one. Every week I have contact for the next season to change players. Alexis (Sanchez) was the last one.

"But the quality (in Dembele) is there. He is an exceptional player."