It's fair to say that Odsonne Edouard was harshly treated in some quarters and made a scapegoat at times during last season's disastrous campaign

He was unfairly accused of downing tools by a fan base that once worshipped the very ground he walked on amidst rumours of behind the scenes transfer acrimony.

The statistics don't tell the same story.

He still managed 22 goals last season and was the Scottish Premiership's top goalscorer.

But if last night does prove to be his last game in a Celtic jersey then Edouard has signed off a glittering Scottish football career in ignominy after another embarrassing European exit.

The attacker allowed former Celtic defender Eric Sviatchenko to bully and dominate him throughout. At times he looked utterly disinterested and as if he were going through the motions.

Edouard to all intents and purposes put in the limp, passionless performance of a player whose head had already checked out of the Celtic Park exit door.

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It appears certain there will be no happy ending to his chapter at Celtic.

Edouard cut an isolated and peripheral figure up front against Midtjylland when he really ought to have been playing a key role in helping keep Celtic's Champions League story alive.

The rumour mill is rife with suggestions that English Premier League sides Brighton and Crystal Palace will bid for the attacker and both are willing to offer £20m for his services.

Arsenal, Liverpool, West Ham, AC Milan, Juventus and reunification with former manager Brendan Rodgers at Leicester City had all been previously mooted but it appears the Seagulls and the Eagles present the most realistic options.

There has been much to admire about Edouard since he pitched up in Glasgow's East End for a club-record fee of £9 million from PSG in June 2018.

A successful loan stint the previous season had yielded 11 goals in 29 appearances as Celtic secured historic back-to-back domestic trebles.

Some 174 matches and 86 goals later, the 23-year-old has a treasure trove of Celtic career memories to dine out on forever as well as a satchel full of medals.

From his first-ever goal for Celtic against Hamilton on the plastic in Lanarkshire to his famous goal at Ibrox back in March 2018's dramatic 3-2 win - his highlights showreel is impressive.

There was also a double in the 5-0 home rout of Rangers in April 2018 that secured his first-ever title winners medal as well as the outrageous pivot and dink at Pittodrie in a 4-3 win against Aberdeen at the end of that year.

Who could forget his stunning clip shot that secured the historic 'Treble-treble' in the Scottish Cup final against Hearts at Hampden Park in May 2019?

For a while at least Edouard's name was etched in the hearts and minds of the faithful.

Unplayable on his day and the best player in Scotland by some considerable distance, he could also infuriate the Celtic fans at times but more often than not the Frenchman delivered when it mattered.

It is a small wonder then that the supporters adapted the 'Stone Roses' classic song, 'I Wanna Be Adored' and turned the hit into the wonderful, 'I Wanna Be Edouard'.

But now the Celtic fans' love affair with Edouard appears to be well and truly over.

The relationship between them has turned sour and there is a growing chasm. Supporters no longer want to be Edouard.

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It's a simple fact of life and a matter of career progression that diamonds like the Frenchman don't last forever.

Players of his ilk inevitably grow tired of their environment, and rightly or wrongly, pursue a new challenge elsewhere. That's why the time is now right for a departure.

A £20 million-plus fee will at least offer a minuscule crumb of consolation for failing to qualify for the Champions League group stages properly once again.

Whilst PSG will grab their sizeable portion due to the sell-on clause there will still be a tidy sum left over for the Hoops to reinvest in a quality striking replacement.

There will be life at Celtic without Edouard.

It is time for Ange Postecoglou to focus solely on the job at hand, with players who actually want to be there, if the club is to mount a serious Premiership title challenge this season.

Ange now has to be selfish and ruthless and put Celtic first, second and third in his list of top priorities.

As they say in French Eddy's native tongue - 'Allez les garcons en vert'.

Or put more simply: 'Come On You Boys In Green'.