Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard is potentially a transfer target for recently appointed Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira, Guardian sports writer Ed Aarons reports.
What's the latest transfer news involving Odsonne Edouard?
Aaron states that the Hoops forward is a possible target for the London club, and he worked with Palace’s new development coach Saïd Aïgoun at Paris Saint-Germain’s academy when he was a young player.
The Hoops signed Edouard initially on loan from PSG in 2017, and then a year later made the deal permanent in a £9m transfer.
What could give Crystal Palace an advantage over other interested clubs?
The fact that Edouard worked with Aïgoun could give Palace an advantage over any other interested parties when it comes to trying to sign the 6 ft 2 forward, as they will know each other well from their time in Paris.
The recent Vieira appointment could also be a factor, as the former France U21 striker would have a chance to work with a legend of French football, who won both the World Cup and European Championship for his country.
How big a fee should Celtic be looking to get for Edouard?
Celtic will be looking for good money for the 23-year-old should he move on before the transfer window closes, as the Frenchman is still relatively young yet has managed to score 83 goals in 169 games for the Bhoys. That shows Edouard is a striker who's delivering already in front of goal but has further potential.
What might complicate matters is the forward's contract situation, as his deal expires at the end of the season. That could influence how much money teams are willing to bid for the attacker, as they know they can talk to Edouard in January about a pre-contract agreement and sign him for free next summer.
The recent transfer of Kristoffer Ajer from Celtic to Brentford gives the Hoops a guide on how much they should be looking to get for Edouard. Ajer was in a similar contract situation to the striker, but the Bhoys still managed to get a reported £13.5m fee for the Norwegian.
With that in mind, Celtic should be looking for eight figures for the forward, and the club will surely be disappointed if they can't get a little more than they did for Ajer. After all, strikers tend to bring in bigger fees than centre-halves.
Will Celtic keep selecting the Edouard until a deal is done?
Unlike many other clubs, Celtic have already been in competitive action this season. The Hoops played out a 1-1 draw with Midtjylland in the first leg of Champions League second round qualifying in midweek.
Unlike Ajer, Edouard was involved in the game, and missed a great chance to put the Bhoys two goals up just before the Danish side's equaliser.
With the second leg less than a week away, Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou will have to make a decision on whether to select the striker, even though there is no guarantees he will be at the club when the transfer window closes.
From Postecoglou's perspective, it will make sense to keep picking Edouard. The Hoops have a better chance of progressing through the tie with him in the side, and it would not be a surprise to see him leading the line for the Bhoys in the second leg.