According to reports, Aston Villa transfer target Odsonne Edouard is attracting interest from both Arsenal and Leicester.

What's the story?

Reports in recent weeks and months have suggested the Celtic striker is someone Dean Smith's side are looking at, but they now appear to face increasing competition in the race to sign him.

According to The Telegraph, both Arsenal and Leicester are also now fighting it out to sign the young Frenchman, seemingly leaving Villa with a lot of work to do to convince the striker to join them instead.

Lange must act now

With sides like Arsenal and Leicester both keen on Edouard too, it's surely time for Johan Lange to step up and ensure Villa get their man this summer.

As well as being a lone centre-forward, the £13.5m-rated Frenchman could actually prove to be a perfect foil for Ollie Watkins in either a two-man strike force or with the latter coming in from out wide.

Recent seasons have seen Edouard partner alongside Leigh Griffths as Celtic have gone with two up top, so he's had previous experience of working alongside another number nine.

His former Hoops boss, Neil Lennon, has previously raved about the qualities that Edouard brings to the table, and it's a ringing endorsement of why Villa should be going after him.

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He said: "He's hugely important (to us), he's an outstanding footballer, talismanic almost, he's so talented, so cool and he had two great finishes. He's up there with some of the best we've had over the last 20 odd years."

Having another prolific striker like Edouard in the ranks - he's already scored 20 goals this season - would give Smith a much-needed goal-scoring threat, other than Watkins.

But, instead of replacing him in the starting line-up, the duo could represent an intriguing double act if given the opportunity to play in the same team together, much like Edouard has done with Griffiths at Celtic Park.

Meanwhile, Villa boss Dean Smith should unleash this academy starlet...