Southampton have reportedly added Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard to their summer transfer shortlist as they look to add quality to a thin senior squad.
According to SunSport, Saints have joined Arsenal, Roma and Aston Villa in tracking the Frenchman’s progress, whilst Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers remains keen on the player he worked with at Celtic for many years.
With Danny Ings’ future up in the air and players like Shane Long potentially leaving in the off-season, Ralph Hasenhuttl will be keen to see another forward with a proven record coming through the door.
The report quoted also confirms that Saints are seen as outsiders in this situation, but that their former dealings with Celtic could work in their favour. The Hoops may cash in on one of their prize assets after what has been a disappointing season by their own standards.
Edouard’s record sees Southampton and others take notice.
Watching back some of Edouard’s highlights from his time at Celtic so far, it is easy to see why other clubs may be wanting to snap him up this summer.
He is a clever and skilful player who works space for himself and others with subtle movements of his body and the ball. When he is one-on-one with a goalkeeper, his range of finishes shows quick thinking in the moments that matter most.
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His best traits could well make him a hit away from Scotland and his record there speaks for itself.
167 appearances for Celtic have seen him score 83 goals and lay on 37 assists for teammates. This is a yield that proves his ability in front of goal but also to work closely players around him, one of which has been Saints loanee Mohamed Elyounoussi in the past two seasons.
What also catches the eye is his past record for France Under-21s. 17 goals in 13 games would have seen him become a key player for them but also push some significant talent out of the team in the process.
Most things about Edouard make him a good target for Saints. At 23, he has much potential to grow as a player and his physical and technical components may see him fit in well at St Mary’s.
However, much will depend on the fee that Celtic charge for his services and which clubs they can attract to buy. A fee of £20m – quoted by SunSport – would simply be too much for Saints in this post-pandemic market.