What are the Odds?
Rodgers undecided over Edouard swoop
BRENDAN RODGERS is holding fire on a club-record £7million move for Odsonne Edouard.
The Celtic manager has been impressed by the striker’s development and progress during the first half of his
From Back Page season-long loan from PSG. Rodgers has first option on a permanent deal but will use the rest of the season to decide if the 19-year-old is worth such a big investment.
Rodgers said: “I will assess it at the end of the season. He has grown each week he has been with us. There’s no rush.
“It’s for both sides as well. He might love it with us, he might not. I know he is really enjoying it but there is no rush to commit on either side now.
“It’s just a case of seeing how it goes in the second half of the season and we’ll review it then.”
Edouard has scored four goals and is competition for Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths. Dembele could leave during this month’s transfer window but Rodgers has indicated teenager Edouard will get more opportunities regardless of others.
He said: “He is getting better and better each week. The boy has big talent and is a real worker as well. He’s the type of performer I like.
“His English is getting better through lessons and he’s still only very young at 19 so he has a lot of potential.
“I don’t have any qualms if I have to put him into a game.”
Rodgers believes having the third striker at his disposal has been beneficial and added: “It’s not easy to make it work but you can as long as you give clarity to the players in terms of where they are at. They can only play so many games.
“We had a situation last year where we only had two strikers.
“It’s a tough balancing act. I don’t think you can bring a third striker who is an experienced player. You are looking for a young talent with big potential who knows where he sits in the hierarchy but is always ready.
“By virtue of that it has kept Moussa and Leigh fitter than they were last year.”
Meanwhile, Lazio may be set to join the chase for defender Jozo Simunovic.
Sources in Italy have claimed the Bosnian is on a shortlist of wanted men at the Serie A club.
Crystal Palace and Burnley are eyeing the Celtic defender but now there may be more interest from Italy after the 23-year-old centre-back came close to joining Torino 18 months ago.