Newcastle weigh up £25m bid for Edouard
CELTIC will pocket £25million in a single payment for a second successive summer if Newcastle United persuade the
Scottish champions to part with striker Odsonne Edouard.
The Frenchman is the subject of serious interest as Newcastle are set to be taken over by PCP Capital Partners.
And while Celtic’s initial asking price of £40m won’t be achieved, the Magpies are content to initially match the £25m Arsenal paid in one go last August when they swooped for Kieran Tierney.
Including add-ons, any fee for Edouard could ultimately turn into a £35m earner for Celtic, who are already tipped to be the only club in Scotland avoiding serious hardship from the financial fall-out over the game’s coronavirus shutdown.
The 22-year-old and his representatives are understood to view Newcastle as an attractive next step in his career.
Moussa Dembele left Celtic for Lyon as opposed to a ‘top-six’ English Premier League giant two years ago knowing he would enjoy regular first-team football and not risk being a second or third pick.
Edouard, with his eye on advancing
from a prolific spell with the France Under-21s team to the senior squad, has made similar status a priority consideration if he is to move from Celtic with two years left on his contract.
Arsenal also have an interest in the player, with Edouard a contender to replace Gabon international striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
And with Dembele himself set to move for around £60m, as Manchester United and Inter Milan lead the way to sign him, Lyon are also sure to be at the table for Edouard (pictured).
Another French club,
Lille, are also huge fans of the former Paris SaintGermain youngster but are unlikely to be able to realistically compete in a bidding war. Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, both back in action yesterday in Bundesliga’s return, are credited with German interest in the Ladbrokes Premiership’s top scorer.
But the prospect of Newcastle emerging as the next major spending force in the English top flight, backed up by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, could now give them an intriguing edge. Edouard has been in superb form for Celtic, scoring 28 goals in all competitions for the soon-to-bedeclared champions this season, his third full campaign in Scotland.