Siriki Dembélé

Ben Siriki Dembélé (born 7 September 1996) is an Ivorian-born Scottish professional footballer who plays as a winger but can also play as a striker for League One club Peterborough United.

Siriki Dembélé
Personal information
Full name Ben Siriki Dembélé[1]
Date of birth (1996-09-07) 7 September 1996
Place of birth Ivory Coast
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[2]
Position(s) Winger / Striker
Club information
Current team
 Peterborough United
Number 10
Youth career
2009–2013 Dundee United
2015–2016 Ayr United
2016–2017 Nike Football Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2018 Grimsby Town 36 (4)
2018– Peterborough United 85 (15)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 26 January 2021 (UTC)

Dembélé is known for his speed, taking on players with his dribbling ability and holding the ball bringing others into play. At the age of 12, Dembélé started his career with Dundee United's youth system. He then moved to playing in their academy. Dembélé returned south of the border joining the Nike Football Academy in May 2016, he had a trial with Championship clubs Barnsley and Huddersfield Town in September 2016. In May 2017, Dembélé moved to Grimsby Town signing his first professional contract. On 22 June 2018 Dembélé joined Peterborough United on a 3-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

Club career

Dembélé was born in Ivory Coast; he relocated with his family to London in search of better footballing opportunities, before finding themselves north of the border in Govan, Scotland in 2004.[3][4] He attended Lourdes Secondary School in Glasgow, and started his career with Dundee United where he spent three years in their youth system.[3][5] He then moved to Ayr United in their U20s academy team in 2015.[6][7]

Several amateur players including Dembélé attended the 'Nike Most Wanted' 2016 trials, where he won a place at the Nike Football Academy, he was just one of two English players selected for the St George's Park outfit, developing his skills in front of elite coaches and mentors.[3][8][9] While at the academy, he had trials with Championship clubs Barnsley in August and Huddersfield Town in September 2016 and was due to sign for them, however, due to suffering an injury he was out for four months and went back to the Nike Academy in January 2017.[5]

Grimsby Town

After training and featuring in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Barnsley at Blundell Park, Dembélé joined League Two side Grimsby Town on 25 May 2017 on a one-year contract, the club having the option to retain him for a second year.[10][11] He did have the opportunity to trial with fellow League Two club Stevenage, Dembélé said: "I still had a few clubs to go before making my decision, but once I found out I was joining this club to sign my very first professional contract it felt amazing."[12]

He made his full professional debut with Grimsby on 5 August 2017, in their 3–1 victory at Chesterfield, where he ran at pace through the midfield beating three men and placed a through ball to Sam Jones, which put Grimsby into a 2–0 lead.[13] Dembélé scored his first goal for Grimsby in the 2–1 win at Port Vale on 7 October 2017, a through ball from Luke Summerfield, which Dembélé latched onto and rounded the keeper to win the game.[14] Ten days later, he scored a brace in a 3–2 victory at Cheltenham Town.[15]

Dembélé was awarded EFL Young Player of the Month for October 2017.[16]

In June 2018, Dembélé submitted a transfer request.[17]

Peterborough United

Dembélé joined Peterborough United on a 3-year deal for an undisclosed fee on 22 June 2018.[18]

International career

Dembélé was selected for Ivory Coast U17 team to participate in the 2013 African U-17 Championship in Morocco, however, due to no birth certificate being available at the time, he had to take a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan as per FIFA rules to scan the wrist plate of players to accurately ascertain their true age, it was concluded that a number of players including Dembélé were over-age and unable to play.[19]

Style of play

Dembélé is ambidextrous although mainly right footed, he primarily plays on the left-wing in 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formations, he prefers to play as a striker in a 4-4-2 formation; Dembélé is known for his speed, taking on players with his dribbling skills and holding the ball bringing others into play.[5]

Personal life

Dembélé has a younger brother, winger Karamoko Dembélé, who plays for Scottish club Celtic. Both are eligible to play for England, Scotland or Ivory Coast respectively as they are of Ivorian descent.[20] Another brother, Hassan, was playing for the Celtic under-9s in November 2017.

Dembélé is related to Ivorian footballers Yaya Touré, Kolo Touré, and the late Ibrahim Touré.[21] He also has a sister, Macoula Dembélé who was studying law and was signed to a top Scottish modelling agency.[21]

Career statistics
As of 26 January 2021
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Grimsby Town 2017–18[22] League Two 36410101[lower-alpha 1]0394
Grimsby Town Total 364101010394
Peterborough United 2018–19[23] League One 38541104[lower-alpha 1]1477
2019–20[24] 25510004[lower-alpha 1]1306
2020–21[25] 22521101[lower-alpha 1]1267
Peterborough United Total 851572209310320
Career total 12119714110314224
  1. Appearances in EFL Trophy

Honours

Individual

References
  1. "Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2019" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
  2. "Siriki Dembele". Grimsby Town F.C. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  3. "EFL Exclusive: Africa, England, Scotland, England - Siriki Dembele's route to professional football". EFL. 8 December 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  4. Pattullo, Alan (5 October 2016). "Scotland call for Celtic 'wonderkid' Karamoko Dembele". The Scotsman. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  5. Dean, Matt (26 May 2017). "Siriki Dembélé: "I think I was born ready."". BBC Radio Humberside. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  6. "Academy 20s edge out Dumbarton". Ayr United Football Academy. 30 November 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  7. "Ayr United 3–2 Airdrieonians". Airdrieonians F.C. 20 December 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  8. "Nike News - Nike Most Wanted 2016 Forecasts Tomorrow's Football Stars". Nike. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  9. "Nike Academy 2016-17". The Nike Academy on Facebook. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  10. Findlater, James (26 May 2017). "Grimsby Town sign former triliast Siriki Dembélé on one-year contract". Grimsby Telegraph. Archived from the original on 26 May 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  11. Findlater, James (21 June 2017). "Sam Kelly and Siriki Dembélé can take Grimsby Town to next level, says Paul Wilkinson". Grimsby Telegraph. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  12. "Dembele Signs For The Mariners". BBC Sport. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  13. "Chesterfield 1–3 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 5 August 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  14. "Port Vale 1–2 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 7 October 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  15. "Cheltenham 2–3 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 17 October 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  16. Woodcock, Ian (22 November 2017). "Siriki Dembele: Grimsby Town striker wins EFL Young Player of the Month award". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
  17. "Grimsby Town forward submits transfer request". Peterborough United. 5 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  18. "Dembele Makes Posh Move". Peterborough United. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  19. "Nine players fail age-test scans at African U-17 tournament". BBC Sport. 15 April 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  20. "Scotland Under-16s call up 13-year-old Celtic youngster Karamoko Dembele". BBC Sport. 19 October 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  21. Greenaway, Heather (1 January 2017). "Stunning sister of Celtic wonderkid Karamoko Dembele signs for top Scottish modelling agency". Daily Record. Glasgow. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  22. "Games played by Siriki Dembélé in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
  23. "Games played by Siriki Dembélé in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  24. "Games played by Siriki Dembélé in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  25. "Games played by Siriki Dembélé in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
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