Patrick Vieira is hoping to sign a number of players as the French legend plans for life as the new Crystal Palace manager. Vieira, who replaces Roy Hodgson, is said to be considering moves for Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher, Schalke’s Ozan Kabak and Celtic’s star striker Odsonne Edouard.
According to The Guardian, Vieira is keen on Edouard as he looks to bolster his options and really turn Palace into an established top-half outfit. The move would mean that Edouard would reunite with one of his former colleagues at PSG’s Academy, Said Aïgoun.
Aïgoun has recently been appointed as Palace’s new Development Coach, joining up as part of Vieira’s coaching staff. Edouard has scored 83 goals for Celtic in 169 appearances for the club. In that time, he also assisted 39 times. It is widely expected that he will leave the club this summer but only if Celtic receive their required fee.
However, the clubs that are reportedly being linked with Edouard are beginning to dry up after the player endured a quiet season by his standards last year, with 22 goals and 6 assists. Leicester had been favourite to sign him but opted for Red Bull Salzburg’s Daka instead. Brighton are keen on the player as they look to spend their Ben White windfall from Arsenal but given Edouard’s talents, you cannot help but feel a move to Palace or Brighton may be beneath the Frenchman.
If Celtic was competing in the same league as Palace, quite possibly it would be a step down for him, but he has more chance of developing further by playing quality teams week in, week out. If he does, then he might get a move to a “bigger” club.