Celtic find themselves in a tough situation this summer when it comes to their lack of depth up front. The club had never really replaced Kyogo, when he left in January. This summer, they also sanctioned the departure of Adam Idah without having a replacement in place first. As fans had feared, the move for Kasper Dolberg failed to materialise.
Celtic ultimately did sign Kelechi Iheanacho as a free agent after failing to secure a striker on deadline day. But it looks a blockbuster return could have been on the cards for the Hoops, an idea that was reportedly turned down by Brendan Rodgers.
Of course, Rodgers had managed Iheanacho before and knew what to expect from him. But another player he was very familiar with is Odsonne Edouard, who was also available this summer.
It looks like Rodgers might have preferred Iheanacho over Edouard though. As reported by the Daily Record, Charlie Mulgrew said on the Go Radio Football Show:
"Well, we know how good Edouard was for Celtic - and I had heard that potentially Edouard was mentioned, about coming back.
"And Iheanacho was the better choice - the choice that he preferred. I don't know how true that is, but if that is the case it tells you how much quality he has."
Brendan Rodgers rejected blockbuster Celtic striker signing
Of course, a lot of Celtic fans would have been happy to see Edouard brought back. He was phenomenal during his time at Parkhead, scoring 20-plus goals in three straight seasons. That being said, he has struggled since leaving the club.
On the other hand, one cannot deny that Iheanacho has impressed since being brought in as a free agent. He might not have been in good form before joining Celtic, but he has started pretty well for the Hoops, already scoring a couple of vital goals for the club.
Also, one cannot overlook the fact that he is probably not up to full fitness yet. When that happens, Iheanacho might be even better than what he has showcased so far.
So, the idea of bringing back Edouard appears to have been on the table, if the report is accurate. That being said, Celtic fans cannot be unhappy with the decision to sign Iheanacho instead, although it might not have been a popular move at first.