Odsonne Edouard was in the shadow of fellow countryman Moussa Dembele when he joined Celtic on a season-long loan from PSG. He found the net nine times in the league but the Hoops, known for identifying and nurturing the superstars of the future, did not hesitate to invest a club-record £9m fee for the Les Bleus youth international.
It proved to be a masterstroke! Edouard stepped up as soon as Dembele completed his £19.7m transfer to Lyon last summer. The Frenchman enjoyed a 23-goal campaign and is showing even better run this term for both the club as well as the country. Not only did he find the net against Rangers in the season’s first Old Firm derby but also replicated this red-hot form for his nation’s U21 side during international duties.
He was once again effective in Celtic’s narrow win over Hamilton Academical and such ability to take part in the build-ups along with poaching instincts make him more valuable than Dembele according to club legend Kris Commons (as cited by Daily Record).
“I’d have loved to play in behind him. We saw glimpses of him and Moussa as a partnership before Dembele left. He likes to play off other players and I’d expect him to strike up good relationships with people like James Forrest and Mikey Johnston.”
The former Hoops playmaker rates him as more than a £25m player – an amount Arsenal paid Celtic to rope in Kieran Tierney this summer.
Why Celtic Must Keep Hold Of Edouard For A Few More Years
Although there have been rumours of Lazio’s interest in the striking sensation, the champions of Scotland must do everything to convince the 21-year-old to stay and develop his game at Parkhead before considering a high-profile transfer.
He has all the traits of a modern-day centre-forward who loves to track back to win possession, hold the ball exhibiting his physicality and create space for the wide attackers to make runs and threaten the opponents from a very close range. Edouard is not at all selfish in front of goal, something that is quite rare among the traditional number 9’s of world football.
Why He Would Be Crucial In Celtic’s ‘Nine In A Row’ Mission
The Hoops must aim for a better display in Europe compared to the previous campaign, but their foremost objective would be to maintain the domestic supremacy in spite of Rangers’ resurgence under Steven Gerrard. Celtic have three outright centre-forwards in their ranks.
However, neither Leigh Griffiths nor Vakoun Issouf Bayo has done enough yet to challenge Edouard for a first-team place. There’s still a lot to play for before claiming superiority and Neil Lennon, therefore, must keep his prized asset fit and fresh for the season to attain silverware.
