In a recent report, The Sun claimed that the Hoops are interested in OH Leuven forward Thomas Henry. The Frenchman, too, is keen on a new experience as revealed last month (claimed by Daily Record). Celtic are readying a £7m bid amid the potential exit of Odsonne Edouard before the window is slammed shut.
The 26-year-old former Nantes star had a low-key career back in his homeland. He left for Belgian outfit Tubize in 2018 and a successful stint earned him a move to Leuven back in January 2019. With 21 goals and 6 assists in Jupiler Pro League, Henry grabbed the attention of many suitors during the previous term and his stellar scoring streak (3 goals in 3 games so far this term) has now convinced the Glasgow giants over a high-profile summer swoop.
Despite a dreadful start, Celtic bounced back exquisitely under the tutelage of Ange Postecoglou. Wantaway Edouard has not delivered so far in these early weeks, but the arrival of Kyogo Furuhashi has resolved the striker conundrum for the time being. The Japanese sensation netted a hat-trick in their 6-0 victory against Dundee and his presence upfront has elated the Parkhead faithful after months of agony and anguish.
Having said that, the egress of ‘French Eddie’ would leave a massive void considering his consistency and contribution in the attacking third over the years. They must find someone to succeed him in the long run and have identified his fellow countryman to lead the line.
A Good Summer For Celtic
Unlike last year, Celtic have been spot on this summer in terms of transfer business. Besides Furuhashi, Liel Abada has been a revelation down the wide. Also, the signing of veteran Joe Hart and James McCarthy on Bosman would create a fusion of youth and experience in their core setup. Carl Starfelt is settling down in the heart of the backline following Kristoffer Ajer’s Brentford move and the overall impact of new arrivals has uplifted the spirit overcoming the horror show of the 2020-21 season.
Henry is an outright ‘number 9’ who is strong in the air. He likes to do layoffs and prefers to operate from in and around the box. His positioning and poaching traits make him prolific in front of goal, however, the lack of work rate might be a problem while attuning to Postecoglou’s style of play. Nevertheless, the in-form attacker would be a welcome addition to restore depth as well as quality high up the pitch.
