Quadruple Treble hero admits Celtic was a stepping stone

The unfortunate reality of modern football is that Celtic cannot compete with clubs from the top five European leagues and beyond, and have often ended up being viewed as a stepping stone for players. Whenever a player performs well for the Hoops, it feels like only a matter of time before he will head for the exit door rather than stay and become a club legend.

Rarely have Celtic been able to keep their best players for a considerable length of time. Scott Brown and Callum McGregor are rare examples, who remained at Parkhead even though they could have comfortably played at the Premier League level.

One player who did make the move down south in recent years is Odsonne Edouard. He was the club's record signing, brought in for a transfer fee believed to be around £9 million from PSG.

Edouard did deliver, as he played a starring role in three of the club's legendary Quadruple Trebles. He would leave in the summer of 2021 to join Crystal Palace. But it looks like he always had his eyes on the Premier League and it was a long time coming.

Quadruple Treble hero admits Celtic was a stepping stone

As reported by Sport Witness, Edouard said in an interview with Foot Mercato:

"From the moment I signed in Scotland, my final aim was the Premier League. I worked very hard while trying to perform at my best to, one day, reach my goal, which was the Premier League. In 2021, I had the chance to join Palace, and I jumped at the chance."

Edouard has had an interesting time at Crystal Palace since joining them in the summer of 2021. He underdelivered in his first couple of seasons with the club. But the Frenchman has made a bright start to the 2023/24 campaign and already has 7 goals to his name this season.

It looks like in the eyes of Edouard, Celtic were always a stop on the way to the Premier League. That being said, one cannot overlook the great things that he achieved while at Parkhead. The Frenchman was an important player in so many title wins and scored 20-plus goals in three straight seasons for the Hoops before leaving.