Aston Villa and Dean Smith continue their search for a goal scorer this summer and one of many such names linked with a move to England is Celtic star, Odsonne Edouard.
A story from The Sun claims that the club see Edouard as the right man to solve the attacking issues at Villa Park and are ready to make a £30m bid for his services.
Arsenal are no longer in the race for Odsonne Edouard but Villa have to fend off interest from Crystal Palace and Leicester City for the Premiership goal machine.
But should Villa bring him to England?
Odsonne Edouard And His Numbers
Born and brought up in France, the 22-year old was a part of the PSG academy but failed to make an impact in Ligue 1 before moving out on loan to Celtic in 2017.
He scored nine goals in his debut season with the club, who signed him on a permanent basis just next summer and ever since, the French attacker has been one of the first names on the team sheet for the Scottish giants.
Last season, Edouard’s 22 goals in 27 league appearances in Scotland was the best return by an attacker and at just 22, the Celtic man is a long-term proposition for his new suitors Aston Villa. He also scored a hat-trick in the first game of the current season and will surely add goals to the Villa side, if they manage to land him.
Capable of putting in a shift on the right-wing as well, Edouard’s biggest strengths are his pace and close control of the ball. He is an excellent dribbler and a consistently good finisher who can score goals from different ranges and angles.
He is strong in the air and allows his team to play multiple systems, which could be a game-changer for the Villains.
Edouard is yet to break into the French national side and a prolific stint in the Premier League could certainly give him a push in years to come.
Odsonne Edouard: Right Man For Villa?
Signed last summer, Wesley has been far from impressive in his time at Villa Park.
Jack Grealish ended the season as the club’s top goalscorer so lack of quality in the final third is an issue Dean Smith desperately wants and needs to solve.
It is reported that Villa are also looking at Ollie Watkins and Said Benrahma as options for this role ahead of next season but Odsonne Edouard is a more established name and could be the best option for Smith this summer.
The likes of Watkins and Benrahma are already accustomed to the English game but the top-tier in England will not be easy to crack for either of them.
Edouard, who has already passed a stern test in Scotland, will probably be a better bet for Villa. However, he is available for £30m, which may price Smith’s side out of this story.
Villa have other areas in the squad that need additions as well and spending big on a striker may eventually affect the balance of the side.
Edouard can surely be a match-winner on his day but do you think Villa should make a move for him at that price?
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