Frank McAvennie has major reservations about West Ham signing Odsonne Edouard
We’re delighted to welcome former West Ham United striker Frank McAvennie as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the London Stadium…
Frank McAvennie has major reservations about whether West Ham should sign Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard in the summer transfer window.
Italian news outlet AS Roma Live has recently reported the Hammers are in pole position to sign the 23-year-old, who’s scored 20 goals in 37 appearances across all competitions for Celtic this season.
It is understood the Scottish Premiership club wants £17.3million for the French centre-forward.
However, although McAvennie believes Edouard has big potential, he doesn’t see him as being a good fit in East London due to the way he’s failed to impress at Celtic Park this season.
Speaking to West Ham Zone, the ex-Hammers and Celtic striker said: “He can’t go about the way he has done this year, managers won’t like that.
“He’s got the ability to go all the way to the very top but you can’t drop your head like he did this year – that’s not the way to do things.
“He’s going to be worth a lot less than what he was worth. With the way he’s been now, who’s going to buy him? There’s nothing concrete yet, it’s all talk.
“It’s like when [Jesse] Lingard came, I said I wanted the Lingard from three years ago and if Edouard was to go to West Ham, I’d say I’d wanted the him from two or three years ago. Not the one that’s there now.
“Would I be happy with West Ham signing him? Not the way he is now but yes, he’s a talent that I think could go all the way to the very top.
“You need to work your socks off at West Ham and I don’t know if that’s the kind of player David [Moyes] would want.”
Edouard has been in lethal form in Scotland since joining Celtic in 2017 on a loan deal, that was later made permanent, from Paris Saint-Germain.
He’s scored 81 goals in 165 appearances for the Bhoys in all competitions since and lifted three Scottish Premiership trophies as well as two Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups.
Edouard is a proven winner and a proven goalscorer. However, he’s showed signs of regression this season and was particularly woeful last week when Celtic lost 2-0 in the Old Firm defeat to Rangers when he missed a late penalty.
Michail Antonio is the only recognised striker in Moyes’ squad at the moment and we all know about his record with injuries.
Hopefully if Edouard does join the Irons in the summer, it is the Edouard who McAvennie was clearly so found of a couple of seasons ago.
In other West Ham news, the Irons are interested in this “sensational” player playing at a Premier League club.
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