If Celtic are to progress as a club, the business model they must utilise is a buy low, sell high strategy due to the extremely poor TV deals the Scottish Premier League continues to receive.
That blueprint has worked in years down the line; Moussa Dembele, Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama, Kristoffer Ajer and Jeremie Frimpong are all recent examples of the business model being put to the test.
However, if something goes wrong on that production line, it can spell catastrophic knock-on effects for the club. And that could happen soon – with Odsonne Edouard reportedly set to run his contract down and leave on a free next season.
Manager Ange Postecoglou admits it is a concern for Celtic that striker Odsonne Edouard could leave the club for free at the end of his contract👇
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) August 11, 2021
Of course, there is a benefit in his decision to stay – it means that Celtic are able to keep his services for another season in hunt of the Premier League title. However, with the club desperately in need of defensive recruitments and Kyogo Furuhashi getting his Celtic career off to a flyer in the striker position, it would be in the best interests of the club to virtue Edouard’s departure.
However, despite being linked with moves to clubs such as Crystal Palace and Brighton of recent, Edouard is reportedly set to honour the last year of his contract in the East End of Glasgow – something that Ange Postecoglou is torn on.
Speaking to the media ahead of tomorrow’s tie against FK Jablonec, Postecoglou expressed his concern over the Frenchman’s future.
I think you are in right in saying that is a club concern rather than my concern right now. I’m not concerned at all. If it means he stays here and contributes then so be it, but again that is stuff that I am not really spending too much time thinking about.
I have been at pains to say that there are certain things that are out of my control that I’m just not going to waste time during this period anyway, where it is really hectic, thinking about it.
My total focus is getting the team ready for these games, playing our football which is not easy and needs a lot of attention from me and the staff, and also working on bringing players in. I have left outgoings totally to other people, that’s other people’s concerns.
You are probably right, there is a concern there around cashing him in, but those are probably questions for other people.