Former player confident Celtic will not sell ace Leeds United reportedly want

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Kris Commons has written in The Scottish Daily Mail (print edition, The Verdict, page 12, August 17, 2020) that Celtic will not sell Odsonne Edouard, amid reported interest from Leeds United among other clubs.

The former Celtic star does not think that the Glasgow giants have signed Albian Ajeti as a replacement for Edouard.

The Hoops have recently secured the services of Switzerland international striker Ajeti from Premier League club West Ham United.

Edouard has been linked with a move to Leeds, with The Sunday Mirror (print edition, page 66, August 9, 2020) reporting that head coach Marcelo Bielsa has made the French striker his number one striker target.

Earlier this month, The Sun reported of interest from Aston Villa in the 22-year-old, while The Scottish Mail (print edition, page 131, May 17, 2020) claimed that Newcatsle United want the former Paris Saint-Germain youngster.

Commons wrote in The Scottish Daily Mail (print edition, The Verdict, page 12, August 17, 2020): “The season is already underway. If they were of a mind to cash-in on Edouard, they’d have done it six weeks ago to give themselves time to find a suitable replacement.

“The signing of Albian Ajeti changes nothing in that respect. Despite the £5m fee, there’s no way he’s been bought as a direct replacement for Edouard.

“You don’t replace one of the best young strikers in Europe with a boy who was warming the bench at West Ham last season. That’s not to necessarily to say that Ajeti isn’t a good player, but the reality is he’s not on the same level as Edouard.”

No Leeds United transfer this summer?

Edouard is arguably the best striker in the Scottish Premiership, and the 22-year-old is ready to take the next step in his career and move to a big Premier League club such as Leeds.

The Whites need to sign a new striker to compete with Patrick Bamford, and the Frenchman’s goalscoring prowess and all-round game would make the Whites better.

The Frenchman scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists in the Scottish Premiership, and scored three goals and provided two assists in the Europa League for Celtic in 2019-20, according to Transfermarkt.co.uk.

However, with the season in Scotland already underway and Celtic aiming to qualify for the 2020-21 Champions League campaign, it is hard to see the Glasgow giants sell Edouard, as they would struggle to find a replacement who would hit the ground running.