Odsonne under close scrutiny in Dingwall

THE physical condition of Odsonne Edouard is only half the story in Dingwall today. Just as important is how the Frenchman carries himself. Anything less than 100 per cent and fans will ask if he’s still up for it. That’s a question Neil Lennon must have asked himself in the past couple of weeks. The £9million man missed the Champions League exit to Ferencvaros with a thigh problem. He was missing again for the league win over Motherwell before the international break. But he still managed to fight his way back to fitness with penalty strikes for France Under-21s in Georgia and Azerbaijan. Celtic now value the 22-year-old at £40m. And managers must decide for themselves if a player from the Scottish Premiership with no full caps is worth that kind of money. But in a league where Aston Villa are paying

Brentford £28m to sign Ollie Watkins — £33m after add-ons — it doesn’t seem so big a stretch. The price tag on Edouard’s head is as much about circumstance as ability. Celtic are going for ‘the ten’. Rangers are desperate to stop them. Selling the star striker for a knockdown price now would have fans marching to the car park, pitchforks in hand. Any other season and he’d have gone after that Champions League exit to balance the books. But, for supporters, this season is sacred. And that — along with a hefty sell-on clause inserted by PSG — is why Celtic are compelled to hit English clubs with a £40m ransom note before starting a conversation. The problem comes if the player really does feel like a hostage chained to a radiator. After Ferencvaros, Lennon went public with his belief that some players want out. If Edouard is one of them, things could get awkward before the window shuts. There might be no away fans amongst the 300 allowed into the Global Energy Stadium. But be assured, the Body Language Celtic Supporters Club will be watching every play with the forensic intensity of Detective Inspector John Rebus.