Odsonne Edouard has finally put an end to all the rumours about his leaving Parkhead this summer with a cool, calm statement outlining his desire to be part of the history making machine at Celtic Park, helping us to secure the magical ten in a row.
This news has stunned the media, who were preparing to write stories all through the close-season about how Edouard was on his way out of the club in this window.
Ridiculous websites like Football Insider buzzed with speculation as “experts” like Noel Whelan – who last I heard had not the remotest connection with Celtic – provided “information” … nothing but pitiful whispers and personal opinions dressed up as actual news.
None of it has come to fruition.
Now it won’t. Not this summer.
But next summer? Yes, perhaps then, once the history is made and the ten is secured and the world has been put to its ultimate right.
Perhaps then French Eddie will depart the scene and net us big money.
Depending on how the transfer market recovers from the current crisis, we might well get even more than we did for Tierney, with sell on clauses on top.
This is a no-lose situation for us, it really is.
Eddie was Scotland’s best player by a mile last season, as is reflected in the news that he won another player of the year award … it’s almost laughable now to look back at the so-called “debate” over whether he or Morelos was the better striker.
It was never even in the slightest doubt who the superior footballer was.
Sevco needs to sell him in this window; the contrast between the two clubs is never going to be more clear than when they take a knock-down fee for their best footballer and we hang onto ours in order to secure that tenth title.
French Eddie is the best Celtic striker since Larsson.
It would be great to think we could keep him here for a few more years yet, all the better to see him at his best. But the truth is, that’s not likely and the only questions are how long we can hang onto him and what we get for him when he goes.
Fortunately the answers to both are pretty positive today.
One more campaign at least … followed by a fortune.
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