The Sunday Times reported this morning that Tottenham have frequently been sending scouts to watch Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard this season.
The 22-year-old Frenchman has scored 27 goals and provided 19 assists in a stellar campaign to help the Bhoys to their ninth successive SPL title.
Celtic boss Neil Lennon is going for 10 in a row next year to eclipse Rangers achievement of nine straight titles through the 80s and 90s, and is hopeful that is enough of a carrott to convince Edouard to stay one more year.
CELTIC STAR: Operation Ten-in-a-Row Can Keep Edouard At Celtic
Lennon told The Scottish Sun: “It is inevitable there will be speculation surrounding Odsonne because of the player and talent he is.
“He hasn’t said anything to me about wanting to go. Whether that changes over the next while, we don’t know. But we have him on a really good contract and we are in a strong position to rebuff any interest in him.
“We don’t want to sell him. We are happy with him and he seems quite happy here. We are going for Ten-in-a-Row and that might be a big motivating factor for him to stay.”
So it appears as though Spurs may have to settle for a watching brief for another year, but if we wait it out, would we have the perfect Kane foil?
Edouard has racked up huge numbers in Scotland this season and, at 6ft 2in, fits the target man criteria that Jose Mourinho wants for a No.9. The Times understands he is even viewed as a long-term successor for Kane.
If you are looking for a young forward, and don’t have the kind of absurd budget where you can just buy Timo Werner, I can not conceive of a better option.
— NathanAClark (@NathanAClark) May 31, 2020
The same report adds that Edouard would cost more than £25m, and that sort of money might be hard to come by amidst the Covid-19 crisis.
However, according to transfermarkt.com, Edouard’s contract expires in 2022 so we could get him at a more affordable price in the summer of 2021.
One more year at Celtic might suit all parties here if we can wait another 12 months to sign proper Kane support. Well, we’ve waited seven years already. Would another one hurt if Edouard really is the real deal?
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Fair point. How long did it take anyone to take note of Larsson at Celtic? VVD did have his supporters too, but I get your point. I am sure we were linked with him on this blog too, my mate said he was a Rolls Royce up there. He did get rinsed a few times at Southampton, he dived in on Kane once, but he was bright enough to learn from his mistakes and look what he has become. Robertson at Hull too. Both players must have some attitude to turn themselves in to world class players, that’s the missing ingredient in a lot of these guys. Goes to show there are players out there, doesn’t always have to be superstars, but picking them is the key. Strachan said McGinn whilst at Hibs was a very good prospect, but only Championship Villa took notice. About the same time Salford City were signing Aberdeen’s centre forward! What is that all about? I have not seen much of this lad Edouard, but he couldn’t come as a replacement for Kane. Kane not only scores goals, but he can play too. We don’t want another Darren Bent. Then again, I thought Soldado would be great as he was apparently ‘proven’. What the eck do I know!
Clubs can miss out because of not rating the Scottish Premier League. If you go back and look up what fans and even pundits who should know better were saying you’ll see people saying Virgil Van Dijk wasn’t even good enough for Southampton.
Agreed. There are gems in all leagues. You just have to know them, which I would imagine any scout worth their salt does (who are ours?). Robertson had a very good reputation at Dundee Utd and McGinn is a good player. Dembele was linked with us whilst at Celtic and the same discussions are taking place now with this guy.
The idea as back up to Kane makes sense, we do need one. Has anyone noticed that in the boardroom 😉?
If he has another big year he will be in demand,
goalscorers always are. Moussa Dembele left Celtic for Lyon and has scored 31 goals in 60 games and is supposed to be a Manchester United target. People who are better judges than I am rate Dembele as a better footballer. He won’t sit on the bench for anyone in my opinion. As usual we’ll faff about and he’ll go elsewhere. People love running down the Scottish Premier League, but it has produced Virgil Van Dijk, Andy Robertson for Liverpool and John McGinn for Aston Villa.
If he’s as good as they say,then he would get games in my opinion.Kane’s matches need to be managed and I could see Edouard playing League Cup,FA Cup lesser league games and early CL games.
If he then proves to be the real deal Harry can go with everyone’s blessing,but he will know he is not going to usurp Harry as soon as he arrives.
This of course assumes Kane doesn’t want out this summer.Even then would Levy use that money wisely or at all?
If we were to sell Kane we would receive a substantial amount of money. If we signed this guy as a replacement to Kane I would be very disappointed. The Scottish league is weak and to step up to the EPL is a big ask. We’d need a proven goal scorer with a very good track record in Ch Lg and/or EPL to replace Kane.
The league is starved of TV money, it’s a small country. Celtic are at an advantage through huge support and CL money and Rangers having been demoted for systematic cheating. They will celebrate a historic 10 in a row hard and not give 2 fcks.
This guy is too good for his next move to be riding pine.
“is hopeful that is enough of a carrott to convince Edouard to stay one more year.”
That’s amusing. As if a 22yo french kid, certainly looking to move on to bigger club and higher quality league, would give a single toss about Celtic winning a 10th in a row, How do they even say this stuff without laughing out loud? If anything, Celtic being on tap for 10 in a row is a perfect illustration of the SPL being a joke of a competition.