With the club currently without a manager or a director of football, Celtic fans have begun to question whether the club could also cope with losing their top scorer and one of their best defenders this summer.
Both Odsonne Edouard and Kristoffer Ajer have one year remaining on their contracts, and it is widely expected that the pair will be sold to the highest bidder.
The likes of Arsenal, Leicester, Southampton and West Ham are thought to be keen on Edouard, while Ajer is being linked with Newcastle and Bayer Leverkusen. Considering the crisis engulfing the club, though, supporters on Twitter have been discussing whether they would be better off keeping both players:
I think we should keep both players and if they wish leave on a free next season. Got to keep our best players. 2 of the only players I would keep. Few others
— Auribus Teneo Lupum (@AirbusLupum) June 1, 2021
That would be an incredibly daft thing to do. There’s best part of £30m there right now which would be zero in 12 months.
— Andrew Mackay (@mackayac) June 1, 2021
there is almost zero chance we win the league this season, I feel like we really need to accept that and build for the future. Short term thinking is what got us into this mess and it won’t help us now, imo
— claybokie (@claybokie67) June 1, 2021
I’d rather keep them this season and lose them on a free than sell them for buttons now.
Any less than 15mil for eddy and 12mil for Ajer is a slap in the face realistically considering what they bring to the team (eddy also signed for 9mil and will likely have a sell on clause)
— Logan Mcintyre ?️? (@RealLoganMac) June 2, 2021
Last season proved players not giving 100% backfires no matter how good they are on paper. Playing final year of contract, playing for move away & doing both whilst trying to avoid injury would only result in more of the same IMO.
— El Capitan ? (@ElCapit31349431) June 1, 2021
Not for me,Edouard didn’t look like his heart was in it last season & if Ajer wants to leave there is no point in keeping him either,we need to get the best money we can for both of them for the rebuild.
— StevieMc1888 (@StevenMcInally1) June 1, 2021
If your only making 11 million off the pair it makes sense to take the gamble
— kevin elliott (@Kevster90KevIN) June 2, 2021
If they won’t sign new contracts punt them as for downing tools you can argue that Edouard has never really looked like his heart was in it although in his defense some people are taking a long time to get over the rona and ajer didn’t seem like he wasn’t giving ? only mho
— Big Dom (@BigDom1888) June 2, 2021
As some have mentioned, despite their contract situations, the pair could still bring in at least £30m in revenue, which could be reinvested in rebuilding the squad. Despite their undoubted ability, retaining these two players for one more season seems pretty unrealistic.