Celtic: £20m Brighton target Odsonne Edouard 'as relaxed as ever' says captain McGregor

The notion that Odsonne Edouard has mentally disengaged from Celtic is contradicted by what Callum McGregor has witnessed from the striker in this fledgling campaign.

Odsonne Edouard. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Claims a near-£20m bid from Brighton is in the pipeline for the 23-year-old striker have intensified in recent days. They have led to questions over how motivated the player will be for the Champions League qualifier concluding leg in Midtjylland, a game being presented as potentially the last of his four years at Parkhead.

Edouard’s natural insouciance is once again being mistaken for something more telling, maintains the Celtic captain, who has no concerns the forward will give his best for as long as he is with the club.

“Everybody becomes an expert in body language in these situations,” said the midfielder. “That’s just football. You are under the microscope every single time you walk out on the pitch. Everybody is looking at you and judging you and your body language.

Captain Callum McGregor as Celtic depart for Denmark. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

“But all I can say for Odsonne is that he looks as relaxed as ever.

“He is in good spirits. Every time he is around the training ground he is having a laugh and a joke and I think his performances in the last few games have looked right at it. He has looked bang at it to me. He is giving defenders problems, he is looking strong, he is looking quick and getting himself into positions where he has goalscoring opportunities. He got one or two in pre-season and he looks in good form. He seems happy as well.”

Edouard’s best route to earning the sort of move that it is no secret he has sought for the past 14 months is reaching the levels he did in his 28-goal 2019-20. But McGregor believes that footballers live in the moment when they cross the white line.

“I firmly believe that every time you go on the pitch you give your absolute best,” he said. “In terms of transfers and things, that’s in the club’s control and, as players, you love playing football and want to enjoy it until something happens. What I will say for Odsonne is that since he has come back he has looked hungry and as long as we can keep him we will be happy.”

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