Chris Sutton has slammed Celtic record signing Odsonne Edouard as not good enough to spearhead their attack.
The former Hoops striker was hugely critical of the forward on BT Sport on Sunday morning and questioned why the club spent £9million on him last summer.
Sutton claimed it was damning that loan winger Oliver Burke has been pressganged into a new central role because of ex-Paris Saint-Germain man Edouard’s shortcomings.
“You need a centre-forward who knows what to do at that level. It’s unprecedented Celtic going into a big European game without a recognised number nine,” Sutton said on BT Sport’s Periscope account on Sunday morning (7:40). “Edouard, I don’t think he’s a number nine, I’ve seen enough of him. It’s a good point as to why they paid £9million for him.”
OPINION
Celtic proudly trumpeted Edouard as the “biggest transfer” in their history when he signed from PSG last summer after an encouraging season on loan. Rodgers was and always has been in raptures about the potential of the French forward, hailing him as “one of the best in Europe” in his age group. The northern Irishman is no stranger to hyperbole, but it’s fair to say Edouard is nowhere near the level of the club’s former record signings Sutton and John Hartson, both of whom knew how to lead an attack. Edouard took over the senior mantle following the exit of Moussa Dembele and the off-field issues of Leigh Griffiths, but he has been a disappointment. A haul of 14 goals from 36 matches this season is pretty decent, but the 21-year-old has plenty of rough edges to polish from his game. While an excellent athlete, his movement and touch need improving, and he seems most effective operating out wide rather than down the middle.