Former Celtic Player Becomes Owner of Football Club

One former Celtic player has taken an unexpected step, in the middle of his playing career, and become the owner of a club himself.

Former Celtic striker, Moussa Dembele, who currently plays for Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League, has been named the new owner of FK Minija, a team in the second division of the Lithuanian football pyramid.

Fabrizio Romano, an esteemed football journalist, shared the news, as he wrote: "Moussa Dembele signs in as the new owner of Lithuanian club FK Minija. Dembele has signed all documents via his investment group called Triple M which also owns AS Mansa in Mali."

FK Minija is based in the Lithuanian city of Kretinga. The club competes in the I Lyga, Lithuania's second division, and is currently sitting at 9th in the 16-team league

Although Dembele may have become an owner himself, his playing days are far from over. He has scored 7 goals for Al-Ettifaq this season but is currently out injured.

Dembele first came into limelight while he was with Fulham, as he scored 15 goals in 43 games during the 2015-16 Championship campaign. His outstanding performances grabbed the attention of several big clubs, and he ultimately joined Scottish giants Celtic.

Dembele proved to be an immediate hit at Celtic. He scored 32 goals in 49 games across all competitions in his first season with the Hoops. He also became the first striker to score a hat-trick in a Glasgow Derby since Harry Hood, leading the club to a 5-1 victory over Rangers.

Ultimately, he would leave Celtic after two seasons with the club, joining Lyon. He spent five seasons in France, including a loan stint at Atletico Madrid. The 28-year-old currently plays for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq.

Dembele surely chose an intriguing career route because there are so many paths open for footballers to walk down in the modern game, outside of the playing field, rather than the traditional path of coaching.