In a recent interview with Football Insider, ex-Premier League striker Kevin Campbell backed his former club Arsenal to land Celtic centre-forward Odsonne Edouard as he said,
“No, I do not think so. Clubs know what Odsonne Edouard can do.
“He is just going through a difficult time at the moment. He has been injured and Celtic have not being playing well either.
“All of the forces seem like they are against him at the moment but he has proven last season what is capable of.
“I know his form will pick up and he will get back to best which is leading the line and scoring goals.
“There was talk of a move to Arsenal, that move may still happen because Edouard is a really talented player.”
Edouard’s Impressive Start To This Campaign
The French frontman’s current contract at Parkhead is set to run out in the summer of 2022, so Neil Lennon will be desperate to tie him up on a new contract. The 22-year-old has continued to perform at top gear for the Glaswegian outfit this season as he has been responsible for putting in some match-winning displays for them so far.
Edouard has found the back of the net on six occasions and provided two assists in 13 matches for Lennon’s team this term in various competitions. He has made a positive impression while leading the line for Celtic based on his average of 3.3 shots, 0.6 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per game in the Scottish Premiership. The Frenchman has also been relatively tidy with his ball-distribution as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 80.8% in top-flight football (stats via whoscored).
What Are The French Attacker’s Best Attributes?
Edouard has decent pace in his locker which he can utilise to make some promising runs in the attacking third. He excels at generating space for himself to get a few shots in on-target and has proven himself to be a composed finisher in front of the opposition goal.
Standing 1.87m, the former Paris Saint-Germain talent has put his body to good use when shielding the ball from his marker and is usually quite neat with his passing in the offensive end of the pitch. However, he is yet to prove his value outside France and Scotland, so there are some concerns over whether he has the mentality to succeed in the Premier League.
Is Edouard The Right Fit For The Gunners?
On his day, the experienced Scottish Premiership forward can be a delight to watch, so Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta would do well to prise him away from Celtic Park. He will add more competition for the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah for a regular starting place at the Emirates Stadium in the coming seasons.
At 22, Edouard will only getter with each year and could potentially become a world-class player under the watchful eyes of Arteta, so the French youngster will be a great fit for the Gunners in the long-run.
