A hat tip to James Forrest on the Celtic Blog for the name check today.
It was indeed last season when we were chatting about Odsonne Édouard.
After a bright start on loan from PSG, it appeared that the striker had fallen out of favour with Brendan Rodgers.
James said to me that he thought that the young Frenchman had no long-term future at the Hoops.
Au contraire I said, Brendan Rodgers is crazy about the kid!
Indeed, my guy at Lennoxtown disclosed to me that the Irishman considered “French Eddy” to be one of the best young players that he had ever worked with.
When the lad arrived on loan from PSG I asked an ex-Celtic player, now at another SPFL club, what he thought of “Eddy” when he had played against him.
The defender said to me that he was “he’s a real handful, Phil. Strong, with very quick feet”.
It is worth noting this is before any of his late-season heroics in crunch matches.
With those two sources, I was clear that Odsonne Édouard would be a signing priority for Brendan Rodgers.
Consequently, I stated to the Celtic Hoops blogger at the time that Celtic WOULD sign the young Frenchman next summer.
Therefore, neither James nor I were surprised when he was announced today as a permanent signing.
Of course, it was just another “exclusive” for the Daily Radar.
If, as I am hearing, Moussa Dembélé decides to extend his stay at Celtic then the Irishman in the dugout will have two quality players to rotate through the No 9 position.
That would put Leigh Griffiths down the pecking order and one final infraction away from clearing out his locker at Lennox town.
Indeed, I would fear for any of the Celtic first team squad who have not kept to the close season maintenance programme.
On the subject of young players with potentially a very bright future at Parkhead, Brendan rates young Jack Aitchison very highly indeed.
