Southampton have been linked with Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard recently and he could prove to be the ideal heir to Danny Ings in Ralph Hasenhuttl's side should he arrive at St Mary's this summer.

Whilst the Austrian manager has reaffirmed on a number of occasions that Ings won't be sold this summer, it is also looking unlikely that he will commit to a new deal at St Mary's, so we could see him depart on a free transfer next summer when his current deal expires.

Southampton were recently linked with a move for Edouard, with The Sun claiming that the Saints have joined the race to sign the Frenchman, who has been prolific during his time with the Hoops but is reportedly looking for a new challenge this summer.

The former PSG man's contract at Celtic Park is, similarly to Ings, set to expire at the end of the next season, so a summer exit certainly looks to be on the cards for the 23-year-old, as you would suspect that Celtic won't want to lose him on a free transfer.

During his time with the Scottish side, Edouard has made 168 appearances, contributing an impressive 83 goals and 37 assists in all competitions.

Despite Celtic's struggles this season, the young striker has still been a consistent performer, contributing 16 goals and three assists in 26 Premiership appearances, which has helped him average a superb 7.31 rating from WhoScored.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-southampton-news%2c-transfer-rumours-and-more” title=“Latest Southampton news, transfer rumours and more!“]

He has 22 goals in all competitions this season, so he clearly knows where the back of the net is, and his consistent record in Scotland certainly suggests that he could do a job in Hasenhuttl's side in the future, perhaps filling the shoes of Ings, who will undoubtedly prove to be difficult to replace when he eventually does leave St Mary's.

Earlier in the season, before his sacking, Neil Lennon was full of praise for the Frenchman, saying:

"He’s scored goals in cup finals, he’s scored goals in big games from the penalty spot and he took it brilliantly today. He looked far more like himself today and I thought he was magnificent. He’s a joy to watch at times, so he’s had a good day as well."

If the 23-year-old does arrive at St Mary's this summer, then he could be a fixture in Southampton's side for many years to come, and could definitely prove to be the ideal man to replace Ings if he can replicate his goalscoring form from Scotland in the Premier League.

And, in other news... Semmens should seal Southampton swoop for 29-goal "phenomenon"