FORMER Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard is poised for a cut-price move from Crystal Palace to OGC Nice.
The Ligue 1 side are in negotiations with the London club as they attempt to seal a £7million deal for the 27-year-old frontman.
The Selhurst Park outfit paid the Hoops £15.5million for the French ace in the summer of 2021, but the one-time Parkhead fans’ favourite failed to impress and was loaned to Leicester City last term.
Edouard rarely figured for the Midlands club who wanted to cut the season-long switch short in January, but Palace boss Oliver Glaser rejected the request. The once-prolific forward went through the entire campaign without a solitary strike.
HOOPY DAYS…Odsonne Edouard runs away in delight after scoring in Celtic’s 5-0 title-winning victory over Rangers at Parkhead in April 2018. Dedryck Boyata is about to join in.
It looked as though he was on his way to Girona, but the player rejected terms at the Spanish side to return to the FA Cup winners where he still has a year to run on his contract.
Nice are now ready to throw Edouard a lifeline to take him back to his homeland after coming through the ranks at Paris Saint-Germain before his £9million move to Celtic in July 2018 after an impressive loan spell.
Brendan Rodgers, who paid the club record-breaking fee for the attack-leader, last month dispelled rumours the player could be on his way back to Glasgow, as CQN reported.
The Hoops gaffer admitted: “Big names don’t always give you what you need. This team needs hunger, goals, work-rate and intensity.
“Big names don’t always give you that. It’s about big players. I just want players who are hungry to learn, but also ready now.”
Rodgers has added £1.3million Shin Yamada from J-League outfit Kawasaki Frontale to his frontline, but is still searching for a genuine replacement for Kyogo Furuhashi who left in January.
The Irishman has until 7pm on September 1 to strengthen his squad.
