Pundit Noel Whelan believes that Celtic are selling themselves short if they accept the reported £30 million bids being prepared by a host of Premier League clubs this summer for Odsonne Edouard.
Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan claims that any side would be getting a bargain if the Hoops decide to sell at that price.
So what has Whelan said?
When asked about the recent transfer speculation and the rumoured £30m transfer fee surrounding Edouard, Whelan said:
“I’d say it was about right, I’d say between £35-40m in this going market.”
“I think that’s absolutely fine, how old is he, 22? You’re getting a bargain, he’s going to be with you for four years, you’re going to get the best out of him.”
“A price of £30m? I’d take that all day long.”
So is Whelan correct?
Absolutely, if Celtic were to sell their star asset for £30m – even though they would make a sizeable profit – there would be questions asked of the Parkhead board.
The Hoops sold Kieran Tierney for £25 million in the summer and although he was an important figure in the dressing room and on the pitch, they have replaced him without any real dent in the “war chest”, Edouard would be an altogether different matter,
Replacing a player with 27 goals and 19 assists in 45 appearances would be a significantly more sizeable task, regardless of the recent form of Leigh Griffiths, the French Under-21 international offers so much more than just goals and is integral to how Neil Lennon’s side play.
Is Edouard a bargain at £30m?
Yes
No
His ability to play on his own or in a partnership allows the tactical flexibility that has seen Lennon’s side pull away from city rivals Rangers without breaking sweat and would be a huge asset for any trophy chasing English side.
At just 22-years-old, Edouard has played a lot of football and has shown – under the intense microscope of leading the line for Celtic – that he can handle the pressure that goes with the expectancy of being the star man for a club and carrying the burden of being a club’s record signing.
If his current form continues, £30m will get you a seat at the table as the deposit required to begin negotiations for Edouard’s signature, anything more could just be enough to tempt the Celts into parting ways with their talisman, despite the obvious importance of next season in the club’s history.