Celtic were cruising towards their ninth title before the Coronavirus outbreak stopped football. There is no doubt that it would be an uphill task for the Hoops to keep hold of their star striker Odsonne Edouard beyond this campaign as the forward has attracted interest from some of the top clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.
Reports from Football. London around a few days back suggested that Celtic are looking to tie down Edouard to a new contract. The French forward’s current deal expires in 2022. Former England international Paul Robinson also feels that Celtic will do everything in their means to keep Edouard. However, he also added that Lennon and Co should be ready with a contingency plan.
Robinson on Edouard
Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson said, ”Celtic will do all in their power, after the season he has had, to try and hold onto him. Should they not, their scouting network and their ability to unearth these players when they lose one has been impressive over the years. I suspect Neil Lennon and his staff will have a contingency plan or a list of players and targets should he leave.”
”They will have a value of what they want for the player so they will know what they can spend on another player. The main priority will be to keep him because he has been outstanding.”
Edouard has been a talismanic figure upfront as he has bagged 27 goals in all competitions along with a whopping 19 assists this campaign. Hence, it is not surprising that his performances have attracted interest from the south of the border.
It remains to be seen whether Lennon could tie him down on a new contract or not. It wouldn’t be guaranteeing Edouard’s stay at the Parkhead for the next two-three years. But that would keep Lennon and Co in an excellent position to negotiate the best price for him.
How much money should Lennon demand?
Lennon needs to be ready with a backup plan as top Premier League clubs can blow Celtic away with a top offer. With the kind of wages they can offer, it would be unrealistic of the Glasgow club to expect to retain Edouard. The striker is still just 21, and he certainly has a big future ahead of him. All Lennon can do now is to get the best possible deal out of him when he goes on to leave. If Celtic can get somewhere around £40m for the Frenchman, then that would undoubtedly help the Hoops in finding a reliable replacement for him.
