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Leicester splashing £30m on prolific Celtic star would sort out their attack for the next decade

Why signing Edouard would be an excellent futuristic move by Leicester

According to a report by Daily Record, Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers is interested in signing Celtic’s striker Odsonne Edouard.

The Irishman is prepared to offer a record-breaking fee of around £30million for the French finisher, who is seen as a long-term successor to Leicester’s star striker Jamie Vardy.

Rodgers, who led Celtic to two successive Scottish league titles (2016-17, 2017-18) before arriving at Leicester, had signed the 21-year-old Edouard for a sum of £9million from Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the summer of 2018.

Odsonne Edouard has been in smashing form for Celtic this season. (Getty Images)
Odsonne Edouard has been in smashing form for Celtic this season. (Getty Images)

He has been making waves in the Scottish league ever since, scoring goals for fun, and now has a total of 49 goals from 112 matches for the Hoops. The youngster has been in terrific form this season for the Celts as he looks set to fire them to a 9th successive league title.

So far, he has scored 12 goals from 17 league appearances for the league leaders, thus making him one of the most important players in the side this season.

However, Celtic have informed their former boss that they have no intention of letting their talismanic striker leave midway through the season, especially with the club on the verge of a league campaign of such historical significance.

CFR Cluj's French forward Billel Omrani (left) vies with Celtic's French forward Odsonne Edouard (right) during the UEFA Europa League group E football match between the two sides at Celtic Park Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland.
CFR Cluj’s French forward Billel Omrani (left) vies with Celtic’s French forward Odsonne Edouard (right) during the UEFA Europa League group E football match between the two sides at Celtic Park Stadium in Glasgow, Scotland. (Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Leicester are in sensational form this season, sitting comfortably at second place in the Premier League table behind runaway leaders Liverpool, and look well set for a Champions League return, with half the season yet to be played.

Rodgers owes it all to veteran finisher Jamie Vardy, whose goal-scoring exploits pushed them to the top-four early in the season. He is currently the league’s top-scorer with 17 goals from 19 games, signifying his worth within the high-flying Foxes unit.

However, Vardy is playing his 8th season with the East Midlands side and is already 32 now. Though he has proven that age is just a number, the Englishman is not getting any younger and it makes perfect sense as to why Rodgers is in pursuit of a new young face like Edouard.

Moreover, Leicester are clearly short of finishers, with Kelechi Iheanacho being the only other recognized centre-forward in the side.

Leicester City has been impressive this season in the Premier League, with the side sitting comfortably in second place.
Leicester City has been impressive this season in the Premier League, with the side sitting comfortably in second place. (Getty Images)

Iheanacho, though he has impressed whenever called upon, has still not won Rodgers’ complete faith as it is evident from the bit-part role that the Foxes boss has been offering him.

The 46-year-old boss has thus made it clear that his priorities with Leicester are indeed long-term and that he intends to change them into one of the top clubs in England.

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amie Vardy of Leicester City celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the Premier League match against Norwich City at the King Power Stadium on December 14, 2019, in Leicester.
Jamie Vardy of Leicester City celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal during the Premier League match against Norwich City at the King Power Stadium on December 14, 2019, in Leicester. (Getty Images)

Verdict

With Vardy already in his thirties now, and Leicester lacking good finishers within the squad, a move for the talented Edouard seems like a wise decision.

Moreover, being a consistent goal-scorer, the youngster could be an appropriate replacement for veteran Vardy, who has been scoring on a regular basis over the years.

Thus, Rodgers’ decision to spill the cash on the Frenchman seems like an excellent futuristic move.