According to a recent report by the Daily Record, Celtic chiefs are said to be ready to inform AC Milan that their hope of acquiring French striker Odsonne Edouard in the winter is nothing more than a pipe dream. It has effectively been confirmed that the young forward will not be making a switch in January, and Celtic have used the opportunity to underline just how important his presence is to the club in general. They believe that Edouard’s influence is of utmost importance in their hopes of registering a late title charge this season.
Although the report has clarified that AC Milan are interested in Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard, when the Hoops are willing to let him depart is the question on everyone’s mind. The Serie A giants are said to have placed the striker at the top of their wish-list, as they look to find alternative options to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who himself has struggled with injuries since the start of the season.
The attacker is contracted to the Parkhead club until the summer of 2022, and this is reportedly an agreement in place between the two parties where he would be cashed in on before that ends.
What Does Odsonne Edouard Add To This Celtic Team?
Although the Frenchman has been far from his best since the start of the campaign, it takes nothing away from the fact that on his day, he’s the best striker they’ve got. Edouard has struggled to keep up with the lofty standards that he set for himself during the last two seasons, as Neil Lennon’s men themselves have failed to live up to expectations. Edouard has undoubtedly been one of the driving forces of this Celtic team for a few years now, and completely discounting what he can bring to the table would be nothing short of silly.
In the recent Celtic match, Neil Lennon actually opted to play Edouard in a wide role, where it must be conceded that he didn’t look half bad. Although it was probably a move that was forced upon him by injuries and poor form, it went to show that the youngster is willing to contribute in whatever way he is required to. As a player, Edouard tends to be an extremely smart centre-forward, as he times runs well and has the pace required to get in behind. However, more often than not this season, his first touch seems to be letting him down.
Comfort on the ball is often down to confidence, and given how Celtic had been in a dismal run of form of late, Edouard’s average displays haven’t been too much of a surprise. Despite this, there’s no denying that Edouard offers a much more dangerous presence upfront than any of the other options. Albian Ajeti has failed to live up to expectations, while Leigh Griffiths’ inconsistency was always going to be an issue. Patryk Klimala has shown in glimpses that he’s got what it takes to step up; however, Neil Lennon doesn’t seem to have the same confidence.
AC Milan Are Interested In Celtic Striker Odsonne Edouard: Why Lennon Can’t Sell Him
As we head into the new year, Celtic’s league position is one that they will be desperate to fix. Rangers are a whopping 16 points ahead at this point, and although the Hoops can take relief from the fact that they have three games in hand, it’s still a rather sensitive situation. Another single slip up has the potential to put an end to their hopes of ten in a row, and that is undoubtedly the ultimate target. As far as influence goes, there’s nobody in the Celtic team more important than Edouard, which means that their decision to dismiss Milan’s interest, without a doubt, the right one.
