Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace reportedly wanted Okazaki in January and the Japan international will leave Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City for free.
Shinji Okazaki will leave Leicester City on a free transfer at the end of the season, giving Crystal Palace a second chance to sign the Japan international, as reported by the Telegraph.
Okazaki has been plying his trade at the King Power Stadium ever since he joined from Mainz for £7.5 million in the summer of 2015, starring as the Foxes stunned the world to win the Premier League title in his debut season.
But the 32-year-old has fallen down the pecking order since those heady days, starting just one league game in the current campaign.
The Telegraph reports that Okazaki is desperate to secure first-team football as he aims to keep his dreams of playing in the 2022 World Cup alive and will bid farewell to Leicester when his contract expires in July.
After holding talks, it seems that coach Brendan Rodgers has given Okazaki’s departure the green light.
It remains to be seen whether a Crystal Palace side who were keen to sign the hard-working veteran in January, according to the Independent, renew their interest.
Roy Hodgson’s side clearly need attacking reinforcements and Okazaki could be a useful link man in attack.
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