In a recent report, The Daily Mail revealed that Leicester City have identified Celtic forward Odsonne Edouard as a replacement for Islam Slimani who is expected to undergo his medical with Olympique Lyonnais on Tuesday. It is believed that the French striker’s name is high on the Glaswegian outfit’s wishlist and so, they are exploring the possibility of launching a move for him during this January transfer period (via The Daily Mail).
Edouard’s Solid Season At Glasgow So Far
Edouard has enjoyed a decent campaign at Celtic Park despite failing to help his side keep pace with Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premiership table. The 22-year-old has scored 11 goals and provided four assists in 23 appearances for Neil Lennon’s side across multiple competitions.
The French centre-forward deserves a pat on the back for averaging 3.5 shots, 1.1 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Scottish first division. He has even interchanged possession relatively well with his teammates in the final third after making 80.7% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
If Edouard is looking for a fresh start, then the King Power Stadium could be an attractive destination for him as he will get a shot of testing himself against the best players in the Premier League while playing either alongside Jamie Vardy or as an understudy to him under the guiding influence of Brendan Rodgers.
What Will The French Frontman Add To Rodgers’ Side?
Edouard is a quick and agile forward who loves to make some dangerous sprints in the final third. He excels at generating space for himself to get a few shots in at goal and has proven his worth as a prolific goal-getter during his time in Scotland.
The Frenchman can also create plays for others around him and can be a constant headache for the opposition defenders. Standing at 1.87m, he is a towering presence inside the opponent’s penalty box and has the strength to win some aerials duels for his team.
Is Edouard The Right Fit For The Foxes?
Edouard has what it takes to be a success story at the East Midlands club and will undeniably add a lot of quality to Rodgers’ attack. His pace and goal-scoring instincts make him a decent fit for the Foxes right now. Edouard will be an upgrade over Kelechi Iheanacho and would give Rodgers the option of rotating the ageing Jamie Vardy more often in the coming seasons.
With all things considered, Leicester would be wise to get the Celtic striker on board before the transfer window slams shut at the start of next month. At 22, Edouard is a player on the rise and could develop into a world-class forward in the Premier League if the Foxes boss decides to give him a chance at the King Power.
