Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
EDDIE’S LAST STAND
Hoops striker urged to give fans a farewell celebration
ANGE POSTECOGLOU has no fear unleashing Odsonne Edouard against Rangers today as Celtic are willing to go right up to the last moments of the transfer window to secure maximum cash for the frontman.
The Frenchman is in the middle of a fierce bidding war with English Premier League sides Everton, Crystal Palace and Brighton fighting it out to land the striker – with Spurs also understood to keeping a close eye on the battle ahead of deadline day on Tuesday.
Bordeaux in France are also keen but are set to get priced out of the running while Ruban Kuzan in Russia are prepared to slap down an £18m offer.
Edouard is understood to be keen on a move to England – but Celtic are willing to sit tight to get top dollar for the 23-year-old, who is in the final year of his contract.
The Hoops are relaxed about the prospect of losing the
£9m former PSG man with Venlo hitman
Georgios Giakoumakis already on the verge of completing his
£2.5m move to Parkhead.
Postecoglou has no intention of wrapping Edouard in cotton wool though as he is willing to hand him a key role at Ibrox in today’s crucial Old Firm showdown.
The manager – who is also poised to hand a debut to £2.6m new Bhoy Josip Juranovic – said: “No doubt. “No-one can tell me that they are watching Odsonne play at the moment and say that he is not giving everything. “Even on Thursday against AZ I thought he came on and made a difference for us. We didn’t start with him because I felt they would come at us and with Kyogo and Liel Abada’s speed and Ryan Christie wide we could get in to the space behind them and cause some problems.
“I had the feeling we would need Odsonne later to hold the ball up for and he did his job superbly for us.
“He scored on the weekend (against St Mirren), he is in good form.
“You know there is no hesitation whatsoever for me to select him against Rangers.”
Postecoglou’s focus is on Rangers this lunchtime but he’s braced for a frantic final few days before the window slams shut.
Celts have lined up a loan deal for Benfica left winger Filipe Jota, who spent last season at Real Vallodolid in La Liga.
Jota is seen as an insurance policy if Ryan Christie seals an exit before Tuesday, with the playmaker’s contract up in January.
But Postecoglou would love to have both on board.
He said: “I will be happy if they all stay. I’ve said before that I am not going to convince anyone to stay but they are quality players.
“Odsonne and Ryan are the ones people are speaking about most and they have both been fantastic since I have come in.”