Celtic’s Odsonne Edouard has the potential to be a “first class” striker in the future but needs to work on his game, according to Hoops legend John Hartson. 

Writing in his column for the Evening Times, Hartson praised the Frenchman for his contribution this season after signing for a club record fee of £9million last summer, but believes there is still more to come from the striker.

Edouard has scored 13 goals and created four assists for the Hoops this season, including a 96th minute winner against Dundee last weekend to move Celtic 10 points clear at the top of the league. 

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The 21-year-old also scored the winning goal against Hearts in the 92nd minute last month, and Hartson believes there is still “more to come” from Edouard despite his fine debut season for Celtic. 

He has pace, he has strength, he can score, he does have all the tools to really be a first-class striker. But I just keep thinking that there is so much still to come from him. There is an element of frustration to watching him sometimes because you just feel that if he tidied up one or two aspects of his game then he would be a really serious player for Celtic.

Hartson scored over 100 goals in all competitions for Celtic during his five year spell at Parkhead, following his £6million move from Coventry on deadline day in August 2001. 

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And the Hoops legend believes the importance of Edouard’s goals this season suggest he is already on his way to becoming a top player, but the Frenchman does have aspects of his game he needs to improve on.

He is still very young, so I am not pointing the finger. He has scored big goals and he has responded to the big occasion and that is what separates the top players. So he has that. But there are definitely things that he has to work on.


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