Arsenal to face competition from Leicester City for promising French forward

As per The Telegraph, Arsenal are set to be a part of a bidding war with Leicester City for Celtic forward Odsonne Edouard.

Brendan Rodgers' side are the favourites to land the 23-year old Frenchman, as the Northern Irishman has worked with him in the past. However, Arsenal fancy their chances to sign Odsonne Edouard, as the player shares the same agency as Kieran Tierney.

Odsonne Edouard is expected to command a fee in the region of £15-20 million, presenting a relatively affordable option for Arsenal. The Gunners would need a striker in the summer, as both Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah could part ways with Arsenal, as they are yet to sign their contract extensions.

Odsonne Edouard has been a key player in the Celtic's setup, scoring 20 goals and registering five assists this season. He had a breakout campaign in 2019-20, netting 28 goals and providing 19 assists across all competitions.

Mikel Arteta may need a striker in the summer to rejuvenate Arsenal's offence

Arsenal's attacking woes in the league have been a source of massive concern for Mikel Arteta. Star forward Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang has scored just nine goals in 31 games, which suggests that the Gabonese striker's best could be behind him.

Collectively, the Gunners haven't fared much better, scoring a dismal tally of 43 goals in 31 games, averaging a rather underwhelming 1.39 goals per outing. With Arteta looking to get the club back to the Champions League, such numbers make for sorry reading.

Arsenal are a team that likes to build up play through short passes from defence and progressing the ball through the middle, which leads to healthy chance creation. However, their strikers have not been able to capitalise on those opportunities, an area that could get addressed with the arrival of Odsonne Edouard.

Arsenal are ninth in the Premier League table, with a best-case scenario being qualification for the Europa League. The Gunners have blown hot and cold lately, winning twice, drawing twice and losing one of their last five games in the Premier League.

They secured three points in their most recent Premier League game, though. Alexandre Lacazette's brace either side of half time and Gabriel Martinelli's 71st-minute strike helped them secure a 3-0 win against Sheffield United.

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