Pundit: £20m is a ‘snip’ as club reportedly close to signing Celtic star Edouard
Celtic can recoup up to £20million for Odsonne Edouard – a big increase on the £15m currently being touted.
That is according to ex-Scottish Premiership striker Noel Whelan, speaking exclusively to Football Insider after The Daily Mail revealed that Leicester City are confident of signing the French striker.
Interim manager John Kennedy is unimpressed by reported valuation and told the media: “£15m is too cheap for my liking.
“The financial perspective of this club is strong and there are some very clever people here who know how the business side of football works inside out and we’ve put ourselves in a position where we can demand transfer fees.”
Edouard – whose Parkhead contract expires in May 2022 – has scored 81 goals in 161 Celtic appearances, 20 of them in the club’s uninspiring 2020-21 campaign.
Whelan insists that, while £15m is still a good price, the powerbrokers at Celtic could easily negotiate a much bigger fee.
He told Football Insider correspondent Dylan Childs: “Well, look, £15m is a very good offer for a player who has 12 months left on his contract.
“He’s not wanting to stick around at Celtic when you look at the way it’s gone.
“He feels he needs a new challenge. He’s 23 years old. His best football’s not even here yet, that’s in front of him.
“£15m, I wouldn’t be against taking. Why price somebody out that wants to leave the club? I’m sure he will want to leave after this season.
“There will be plenty of clubs out there who will go to £20m, which is still a snip for that sort of player.
“But I think if you’re talking anything under £20m when someone’s got 12 months left of a contract, four or five months off starting a new season when he can leave for free at the end, that’s not good business for a football club.
“Surely that’s not the way they want to start this new regime at Celtic.”
A top-to-bottom summer overhaul has reportedly been in the works at Parkhead for some time.
Fans are keen to see the process accelerate after the club relinquished their nine-year hold on the Scottish Premiership crown to hated rivals Rangers on Sunday.
In other news, Eddie Howe could be the new Brendan Rodgers, according to an ex-Ranges man.