Leeds must hijack Celtic nearly-agreed deal to sign lightning-quick attacker with world at his feet
COMMENT By Richard Parks
Leeds United’s search for a brilliant young striker who can lead the line to devastating effect next season should start and end north of the border with on-loan Celtic sensation Odsonne Edouard.
United signed three strikers last summer – on-loan Pierre-Michel Lasogga, Caleb Ekuban and Jay-Roy Grot – but none has made the impact the club needed in the wake of the £15million exit of Chris Wood.
Paul Heckingbottom has been swapping around the centre-forwards on a virtual match-by-match basis but a persuasive case to be the main spearhead next season has not been missing.
A new front man, who is more clinical, mobile and skilful than either of those three, is needed and the answer to perhaps Leeds’ most pressing summer transfer conundrum is within a few hundred miles.
Edouard, 20, was signed on a season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain by Celtic last summer and he has made an increasingly impressive impact after growing accustomed to the unique rhythms of Scottish football.
He played third fiddle to Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths in the first half of the campaign but has been used more frequently of late, with his 25 appearances for the season yielding eight goals, including a brilliant winner in his side’s memorable 3-2 win against Rangers at Ibrox last month.
Edouard is young, gifted and destined for the very top. Standing at 6ft 1in, he is super-quick and Brendan Rodgers has praised his “phenomenal” movement. He can finish, too, in the air and on the deck, with both feet.
There is a rawness to his game, but, that could be ironed out by Heckingbottom and his coaching staff on the training ground.
What will it take for Leeds to snap up the hugely promising striker?
Celtic have first option on converting Edouard’s loan into a permanent transfer this summer – for a fee that has been variously reported at between £5million and £7million – but a deal is far from done.
Rodgers explained that there are a number of factors involved as to whether Celtic will activate their option on a player he rates highly.
“Odsonne is a very good talent and is only going to get better,” Rodgers told the Daily Record. “But we have to respect his club, he’s a signed player for PSG. They might have other plans for him so that’s something we’ll speak about.
“He’s a talent. One of my strengths as a manager is spotting talent in young players and he’s one of the best I’ve worked with.
“There’s so much growth left in Odsonne. So I’ve totally made my mind up on him – but he’s PSG’s player. There’s an option there for us but the numbers being reported are wide of the mark.”
Leeds must look to hijack Celtic’s deal and land a player with the world at his feet. He will not come cheap, but the very best rarely are.
It is also telling that Rodgers, who has a fine track record at developing players, is such a firm admirer of the 20-year-old.
Unlike at Parkhead, United can instantly offer Edouard the role of principal centre-forward and goalscorer who, with the right nurturing and coaching, can be brilliant.
In other Leeds United transfer news, the club are working on a deal to sign an English centre-back who has been the best in the league this season.