Newcastle Eyeing Ambitious Move for Celtic Forward Odsonne Édouard
By Ross Jackson
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has reportedly identified Celtic youngster Odsonne Édouard as his main transfer target this summer.
Despite steering his boyhood club towards Premier League safety, Bruce has struggled to provide the Geordie faithful with the attacking football they so desperately crave. Newcastle have managed just 25 goals in their 29 league games this season - the joint lowest total in the division with bottom side Norwich.
With summer acquisitions Joelinton and Andy Carroll mustering just a single league goal between them, Bruce has now turned his attention north of the border. The Daily Star report that Bruce has held a series of video meetings with Celtic regarding the availability of youngster Édouard.
The France Under-21 starlet has proved a huge hit at Celtic since his club-record £9m move from PSG in 2018. The 22-year-old has notched 46 goals in the SPL in just 81 games, form which hasn’t gone unnoticed, with fellow Premier League side Everton also said to be monitoring the forward’s progress.
Ligue 1 outfit Lyon are also reported to be keeping an eye on Édouard should they lose the services of former Celtic man Moussa Dembélé this summer.
If Newcastle are to lure the Frenchman to the Premier League he will come with a hefty price tag. The Scottish champions are reported to want in the region of £30m for their prized asset.
Should Newcastle be unsuccessful in their pursuit of the Celtic man, another of their potential transfer targets is temperamental Rangers forward Alfredo Morelos. The Colombia international has a remarkably similar record to Édouard in the SPL, scoring 44 goals in 89 games, though Newcastle may be deterred by the 23-year-old’s chequered disciplinary record.
The Magpies are reported to favour the Celtic man of the two, with Bruce’s son, Alex, who is currently plying his trade with SPL side Kilmarnock, delivering a glowing scouting report of Édouard, describing him as the best player he’d come up against in recent seasons.
